(Editor's note: MSUB Athletics release)
PORTLAND, Ore. – The Montana State University Billings volleyball team fell to Concordia University Portland 3-1 (19-25, 25-19, 25-19, 25-19,) in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference showdown Saturday afternoon.
MSUB (8-22, 5-15 GNAC) took the first set, but then dropped three in a row. CU (11-16, 9-11 GNAC) finished with a .343 hitting percentage while MSUB held a respectable .244.
Both teams performed well, but the Cavaliers played inspired volleyball on their senior day. CU put down 62 kills and had 70 combined digs, MSUB had 47 kills and 54 digs.
MSUB took a 7-6 lead in the first set after a kill by Joelle Mahowald and never looked back. CU would pull within two points, 19-17 but the ‘Jackets would end the set with a 6-2 run and earn the first set victory.
The Cavaliers would come out on fire in the second set, and sustained that the rest of the match winning the next three sets in a row.
Mahowald finished with a season and team high .565 hitting percentage to go with 13 kills. She finishes the season with a .323 hitting percentage which will go down in the school record books as the fifth best all-tim single season hitting percentage.
Bayli Monck ended the season as a pillar of balance recording her 15 double-double of the year with 14 kills and 13 digs.
Maddi Vigil finished the match with 7 kills and 10 digs. Hannah Hashbarger had a match high 41 assists and Marissa Logozzo had a team high 16 digs.
Hannah Hayden and Skylar Reed each finished with six kills while Makayla Baca provided 10 digs.
“We fought hard today but could not overcome CU,” said head coach Casey Williams. “Our defense was not on and we let CU get hot offensively. I am proud of the progress we made this year. We have a great group of young ladies that will continue to battle in the GNAC in the upcoming years.”
UP NEXT: The Yellowjackets head to the off season. MSUB did not have any seniors on the team this year so will return all or a majority of the team in 2020-21.
The Buzz: Joelle Mahowald was named the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the game for her season high .565 hitting percentage and 13 kills…Mahowald also added two digs, two solo blocks and three block assists…Mahowald finishes the year 5th in program history for a single season hitting percentage with a .323.
