College volleyball

By Jessica Cronnelly of The Montana Standard - 11/13/2005

In one of the closest matches in tournament history the Westminster Griffins defeated Carroll College 26-30, 30-18, 28-30, 30-25, 16-14 for the Frontier Conference volleyball championship Saturday night in the Montana Tech HPER Complex.

The Westminster victory ended a four-year reign by the Saints in the tournament.

After coming out with a one-game lead, the Saints turned over the momentum to the Griffins who went on to win game two, 30-18.

Game three went back and forth. Carroll kept it within at least two points for most of the game. Little mistakes were made that kept by the Griffins allowing the Saints to pull ahead and take the lead. Carroll capitalized to win the match 30-28.

In game four, Westminster came out to an 18-11 lead. Carroll called timeout. The Saints left the bench with a refreshed look and came within two of the Griffins. It wasn’t until a service error by Carroll’s Rosie Meyn did the Argonauts have the ability to take the win 30-25.

In the final game the teams seemed to have more determination than ever before. The volleys got longer and the kills got harder. In the end Westminster won, 16-14.

“We are playing our best ball,” Saints’ head coach Maureen Boyle said. “I couldn’t ask for more.” Both Westminster and Carroll receive berths into the NAIA Region I tournament in Salt Lake City, Utah Nov. 18-19.

Westminster def. Carroll 26-30, 30-18, 28-30, 30-25, 16-14.

Kills — Carroll 56 (Natalie Solomon 14, Rosie Meyn 12, Tiffany Rochelle 10, Jenny Klaja 7, Laurie Chambers 7, Katie Polette 6), Westminster 77 (Angie Johnson 27, Celestial Alofipo 20, Maxi Miller 10, Fa’alua Lebedahn 9, Brittani Wilardson 9, Monica Shorts 2). Assists — Carroll 48 (Polette 42, Solomon 3, Klaja 1, Amber Sanchez 1, Valissa Sneck 1), Westminster 69 (Shorts 60, Bree Reit 3, Miller 3, Johnson 2, Paige Hunt 1). Aces — Carroll 3 (Sanchez 1, Sneck 1, Solomon 1), Westminster 3 (Deb Overfelt 1, Hunt 1, Alofipo 1). Digs — Carroll 97 (Sneck 27, Meyn 21, Solomon 17, Sanchez 15, Polette 8, Klaja 5, Meyn 3, Chambers 1), Westminster 123 (Reit 41, Hunt 19, Alofipo 18, Shorts 17, Johnson 17, Overfelt 4, Miller 4, Lobedahn 2, Wilardson 1). Blocks — Carroll 17 (Chambers 10, Solomon 3, Polette 1, Klaja 1, Meyn 1, Rochelle 1), Westminster 8 (Wilardson 3, Miller 2, Lobedahn 1.5, Shorts 1, Johnson .5).

Montana State-Northern 3, University of Great Falls 2 Montana State-Northern defeated the No. 2-seeded University of Great Falls Saturday in the consolation final of the Frontier Conference volleyball tournament at the Montana Tech HPER Complex.

Northern came into the tournament seeded fifth and finished in a strong third. The Skylights defeated UGF 24-30, 30-19, 30-24, 29-31, 15-10.

“Coming in fifth and finishing third, not bad.” Northern head coach Lisa Handley said.

Game one went to the Argonauts, who jumped out to a 23-18 lead when Jennifer Wright hit the ball right over the hands of Northern’s Jasmine Mitchell. Two points later, Wright split Northern’s Ashley Roth and Jeanna McPherson, giving the Argonauts the momentum to win the game 30-24.

The second and third games were dominated by Northern.

Jordan Fox who ended the season with an average of 3.34 kills per match ended the game with 15.

The University of Great Falls won the second game but Northern was not going to give up. The Skylights came into game five with a new attitude and won, 15-10.

Claudia Jacobs ended the game for the Argonauts with 14 kills, one assist, four aces and 24 digs.

MSU-Northern def. Great Falls 24-30, 30-19, 30-24, 29-31, 15-10.

Kills — Northern 62 (Jasmine Mitchell 17, Jordan Fox 15, Julie Henderson 9, Jeanna McPherson 8, Tera O’Haire 6, Ashley Roth 6, Tracee Tesch 1), Great Falls 70 (Brittany Prater 19, Jennifer Wright 16, Claudia Jacobs 14, Lesly Richter 11, Jennifer Petersen 10). Assists — Northern 56 (Tesch 51, J. Henderson 2, Mitchell 2, Roth 1), Great Falls 58 (Petersen 55, Richter 1, Jacobs 1, J. Wright 1). Aces — Northern 8 (Fox 4, J. Henderson 1, O’Haire 1, Tesch 1, Kelly Thorpe 1), Great Falls 7 (Jacobs 4, Rachel Escosia 2, Kari Schiller 1). Digs — Northern 74 (Emilee Madsen-Summers 26, Tesch 12, Thorpe 10, Fox 9, J. Henderson 4, Roth 4, Mitchell 3, Nicole Henderson 2, O’Haire 2, McPherson 2), Great Falls 73 (Jacobs 24, Schiller 17, Prater 11, Petersen 7, Escosia 6, Richter 4, Wright 2, Kim Wright 2). Blocks — Northern 20 (McPherson 6, Mitchell 5.5, Roth 4, J. Henderson 1.5, O’Haire 1, Fox 1, Heidi Fritchman 1), Great Falls 5 (J. Wright 2, Jacobs 1, Jodi Miller 1, Prater 1).

Westminster 3, MSU-Northern 1 After coming back from a first-game loss, Westminster College defeated Montana State-Northern 28-30, 30-21, 30-28, 30-15 to make it into the Frontier Conference championship match Saturday at the Montana Tech HPER Complex.

Westminster went up early to a 16-12 lead in the first game with a run that forced Northern to take a timeout. This allowed the Skylights to regroup and come back and tie the game at 17. The teams went back and forth keeping it within one point until the final point when Northern received a side-out to win the game.

Game two was dominated by the defense of Westminster. Bree Riet was credited with 19 digs and Celestial Alofipo had 17 during the match.

Westminster def. Northern 28-30, 30-21, 30-28, 30-15 Kills- Westminster 58 (Angie Johnson 22, Celestial Alofipo 12, Maxi Miller 11, Fa'alua Lobedahn 7, Brittani Willardson 4, Monica Shorts 2), Northern 53 (Jeanna McPhearson 12, Jasmine Mitchell 11, Julie Henderson 9, Jordan Fox 8, Tera O'Haire 8, Tracee Tesch 3, Kelly Thrope 1, Ashley Roth 1). Assists - Westminster 51 (Shorts 42, Alofipo 3, Paige Hunt 2, Lobedahn 1, Johnson 1, Willardson 1, Miller 1), Northern 48 (Tesch 47, Henderson 1). Aces - Westminster 1 (Hunt), Northern 6 (Fox 2, Henderson 2, O'Haire 1, Emilee Madsen-Summers 1). Digs - Westminster 70 (Bree Reit 19, Alofipo 17, Shorts 13, Johnson 8, Hunt 7, Lobedahn 3, Miller 3), Northern 67 (Madsen-Summers 22, Fox 20, Thrope 8, Tesch 7, O'Haire 4, Henderson 3, Mitchell 3). Blocks - Westminster 13 (Alofipo 3, Willardson 3, Miller 3, Johnson 2, Deb Overfelt 1, Shorts 1), Northern 7 (McPheartson 2, Mitchell 2, Fox 1, Tesch 1, Christine Smith 1).

Carroll College 3, University of Great Falls 0 No. 6 seed Carroll College toppled the No. 2 seed, University of Great Falls in three straight games, 30-28, 30-17, 30-28, in the Frontier Conference volleyball tournament semfinals.

Carroll, reaching the title tilt for the fifth straight year, was led by middle hitter Natalie Solomon with six kills, one ace, one assist, six digs and four blocks.

UGF had a strong showing on defense with Kari Schiller, Claudia Jacobs and Brittany Prater all being credited with 10 digs.

Carroll def. University of Great Falls 30-28, 30-17, 30-28 Kills - Carroll 44 (Tiffany Rochelle 12, Laurie Chambers 10, Katie Polette 6, Jenny Klaja 6, Natalie Solomon 6, Rosie Myen 3, Amber Sanchez 1), UGF 39 (Jennifer Wright 11, Brittany Prater 8, Claudia Jacobs 7, Lesly Richter 6, Jennifer Petersen 5, Jodi Miller 2). Assists - Carroll 38 (Polette 36, Klaja 1, Solomon 1), UGF 32 (Petersen 29, Jacobs 1, Wright 1, Prater 1). Aces - Carroll 3 (Chambers, Solomon, Meyn), UGF - 4 (Jacobs 2, Richter 1, Prater 1). Digs - Carroll 57 (Valissa Sneck 15, Meyn 12, Sanchez 11, Polette 6, Solomon 6, Chambers 4, Klaja 2, Rochelle 1), UGF - 43 (Kari Schiller 10, Jacobs 10, Prater 10, Rachel Escosia 5, Petersen 4, Richter 2, Jennifer Wright 2). Blocks - Carroll 13 (Solomon 4, Chambers 2, Klaja 2, Meyn 2, Rochelle 2, Polette 1), UGF 6 (Wright 3, Miller 2, Richter 1).

— By Jessica Cronnelly of The Montana Standard