Volleyball Preview:  Yellowjackets Look to Experience for Boost in 2004

BILLINGS, MT – Eight of the eleven players on the 2004 Montana State-Billings volleyball roster are returnees from last year, and head coach Pa’ulasi Matavao is counting on that experience and a heavy home schedule to rebound from last year’s 6-20 campaign.  The Yellowjackets will suit up six seniors, four sophomores and a freshman for a 26-match schedule that includes 15 matches at home and 16 in Billings.

“We were so young last year, so a lot of those kids saw a lot of playing time,” said Matavao.  “We had good spring practices, so we’re expecting good things from this group.  Ten of the players on the roster this fall played in the spring.  We’re maturing and I think we can sneak up on some teams in the conference.  We’re quicker than we have been in the past.”

Schedule

As it has been since MSU Billings joined the Pacific West Conference, the Yellowjackets will face one of the toughest schedules in the nation.  With a total of nine matches against perennial West Region contenders BYU-Hawaii, Hawaii Pacific and Chaminade, the Jackets can’t afford to have off nights.  Hawaii Pacific will open the 2004 season as the No. 12 ranked team in the nation, and BYU-Hawaii will debut at No. 18.

“Every year the schedule is tough because we play tough teams on the road,” said Matavao of the conference schedule.  “Getting off to a good start is important for us, but it’s been tough in the past.  With a more mature group, we should be able to handle the schedule better.  Playing Top 20 teams every year makes it a fun challenge.”

MSU Billings will start the season with a four-match tournament hosted by Alaska-Anchorage on September 2-4.  The Yellowjackets will face Harding, Lincoln Christian and Alaska-Anchorage in round robin play with a consolation or championship match on the final day.

Following the trip to Alaska, MSU Billings will be home for six straight matches.  On September 10 and 11, the Yellowjackets will host Minot State and Montana State-Northern in a three-team tournament at Alterowitz Gymnasium.  They then open PacWest Conference play on September 17 and 18 when they host Western New Mexico University.

Following a “road” game at Rocky Mountain College on September 21, the Jackets will make their annual trek to Hawaii for four PacWest Conference matches.  They will play at BYU-Hawaii on September 27, at Hawaii Pacific on September 28, at Chaminade on October 1 and at Hawaii-Hilo on October 2.

The Yellowjackets’ only other road trip will be for the final two games of the season at Western New Mexico on November 12 and 13.  Between the trip to Hawaii and the trip to New Mexico, MSU Billings will play nine home matches.  The Jackets will host each of the Hawaii schools for two matches with the first match counting toward the conference standings and the second match counting as a non-conference match. 

Following matches on October 8 and 9 with BYU-Hawaii and October 15 and 16 with Hawaii Pacific, the Yellowjackets will host Rocky Mountain on October 20.  They will close the home schedule with matches against Chaminade on October 25 and 26 and against Hawaii-Hilo on November 1 and 2.

Outside Hitters

The Yellowjackets’ attack will be anchored by one of the most productive outside hitters in school history.  Co-captain Olivia Munro (Sr., OH, Toronto, Ontario) has averaged just under 300 kills per year throughout her career and needs just 150 to break the school record for career kills held by Brandee Sayles.  Munro earned second team all-conference honors last year after ranking sixth in the PacWest for kills per game (4.04) and fifth for digs per game (3.31).  She enters the 2004 season ranked third in school history for career kills (893), fourth for career digs (941), third for career service aces (89), third for career kills per game (3.42), fourth for career digs per game (3.61), and ninth for career games played (261).

“Olivia will be one of our main guns again this year,” said Matavao.  “The one thing that we look forward to every year is that she always comes into camp in good shape.  I think she’s matured a lot this year and is ready to take on the leadership role.  She’s a good all around player and we’re expecting big things from her.”

Playing opposite of Munro for the third year will be Cortney (Metzler) Lennan (Sr., RS, Roundup, MT).  She was third on the team for kills as a junior, averaging 2.30 per game.  She also provides the Yellowjackets with a presence at the net after ranking sixth in the PacWest last season for total blocks per game (0.97).  Lennan enters the season ranked twelfth in school history for career total blocks (153).  She is also ninth for career block assists (124), eleventh for career hitting percentage (.171), and fifth for career blocks per game (0.92).

Jessica Bratton (So., OH, Casper, WY) made an immediate impact as a true freshman last season, ranking second on the team for kills (254) and kills per game (2.79).  She became more productive as she learned the Jackets’ system, knocking down a career-high 17 kills against Hawaii-Hilo near the end of the season.  A two-sport star at Natrona County High School, Bratton also saw playing time for the Lady Yellowjacket basketball team last winter.

Alexus Sandru (So., OH, Twin Bridges, MT) saw action in 85 games as a true freshman last year, recording 137 digs.  After a year at the collegiate level, she should vie for more playing time as a sophomore.

Jessica Bachmann (Sr., RS, Gillette, WY) will return to a Yellowjacket uniform, but this time it will be in volleyball instead of basketball.  A graduate student in the Athletic Training program, Bachmann will be competing in her final season of athletic eligibility after starring for four years on the Lady Jacket basketball team.  Known as one of the toughest defenders on a Yellowjacket team that went to the NCAA Tournament in three out of four years, she also finished ranked twenty-first in school history for career points scored. Bachmann was named team co-captain during fall camp.

“I think we’re going to be tough on the outside,” Matavao said of his hitters.  “The main key is that everyone has gotten better and matured.  We made a lot of mistakes as a young group last year.”

Middle Blockers

The versatile Kari Jones (Sr., MB/RS, Hermiston, OR) will move to the middle blocker position after playing nearly every position on the floor last season.  An injury forced Jones into the starting setter role for the opening tournament of last season before her own injury sidelined her for two weeks.  After returning, she played setter, middle blocker and right side.  Jones finished the season ranked fifth in the PacWest Conference for assists per game (9.81) and also averaged 0.54 blocks per game.

A freshman and a transfer will be expected to help Jones in the middle in replacing graduated Katrina Dahlgren, who is second in school history for total career blocks.  Andrea Donahue (Sr., MB, Whitefish, MT) transfers to MSU Billings for her senior season after playing one season at St. Olaf and two seasons at Northwest College.  Freshman Alicia Cazemier (Fr., MB, Vauxhall, Alberta, Canada) was a four sport standout at Vauxhall High School and played for Team Alberta.

“We’re excited about Alicia,” said Matavao.  “She’s a true freshman with a lot of potential, and we’re excited to see what she can do in this conference.  There are also two veterans who will help make us strong there.  It may take some time for our middle to come around, but it could be our strongest position by the end of the year.”

Setters

Coach Matavao expects Natalie Bills (So., S, Provo, UT) to carry most of the setting load.  She was the projected starter last season after transferring from Snow College, but an injury sidelined her for the entire season.  She was an honorable mention all-conference selection at Snow College and a two-time all-state player at Provo High School.

Defensive Specialists

One of the top freshmen in the PacWest last season, Alberta Letoa (Fr., L/DS, Laie, HI) will enter her sophomore campaign with valuable experience after playing in every one of the Yellowjackets’ 91 games last year.  She finished the season ranked third in the conference with 3.63 digs per game, which is also the eleventh-best single season average in school history.  She recorded double-digit digs in 17 of 26 matches for the season.

Also returning as a defensive specialist is Joanna Peterson (Sr., DS, Butte, MT), who redshirted last season after having a baby.  Peterson played in 69 games as a sophomore and was fourth on the team with 2.72 digs per game.