'Jackets Set for Second Half Push

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CRUNCH TIME...
The Yellowjacket spikers have just seven games remaining in the 2009 season. Already eclipsing last season’s win total, MSUB is ready to make a push at the end of the season. Sitting in a three-way tie for fifth place in the conference, and three games out of first, the Yellowjackets have two crucial games this weekend that could help them make a push to finish toward the top of the conference. A win Thursday night against Saint Martin’s would put the Yellowjackets back to .500 in the conference, and coupled with a win against Western Oregon on Saturday, MSUB could find themselves in third or fourth place at the end of the weekend.

A LOOK BACK...
MSUB went into last week looking to assert itself in the top half of the conference standings. The Yellowjackets looked good in a 3-1 win over rival Rocky Mountain College on Tuesday night. The win avenged a loss just a few weeks prior on Rocky’s home floor. The win was the 13th in the last 15 meetings against Rocky.

With the win on Tuesday, MSUB came into the match-up against Central Washington confident, especially playing on their home court. The Yellowjackets set the tone early by dominating the Wildcats in the first set, 25-19. They could keep the momentum however, as the Wildcats took the next three sets and the match, holding the ‘Jackets to a .126 hitting percentage and recording 16 blocks. Devon Crotteau and Jen Boe both recorded double-doubles with 13 kills in the match and double figure digs, while Jill Trabing recorded a match-high 23 digs.

Looking to rebound from the Thursday night loss, the Yellowjackets had to face one of the conferences top teams in the Western Washington Vikings. A .314 hitting performance by the Vikings led to a 3-0 sweep of the Yellowjackets and dropped MSUB to under .500 in the conference. Crotteau had 15 kills in the match and hit for .306 to lead the team.

ABOUT SAINT MARTIN’S (2-15, 0-9)
Saint Martin’s enters this week with a 2-15 record overall and are 0-9 in the GNAC Conference. Last week the Saints defeated NAIA, Evergreen State (3-0) then fell to Central Washington (3-0) at home. The Saints started the season 0-6 before getting their first when, while both wins have come against the Geoducks. Saint Martin’s is led by Katy Ferguson and Teilissa Tua, who are hitting .144 and .191 respectively. The Saints are being out hit by their oppenents .097 to .216 on the season. Following the match against MSUB, The Saints will travel to Nampa, Idaho to play Northwest Nazarene and then will take on Pacific Luthern in Tacoma on Tuesday evening.

INSIDE THE SERIES...
In the brief series between the two schools, MSUB holds a slight 5-2 lead and are a perfect 4-0 at home, gaining the other victory on a neutral site court. Last season the series was split when both teams were victorious on their home courts. The Yellowjackets are on a two game win streak against the Saints as they defeated SMU 3-0 at home on Sept. 26, of this season.

ABOUT WESTERN OREGON (7-13, 4-5)
Western Oregon enters the week as one of the two teams with identical conference records as MSUB. The Wolves were predicted to be one of the top teams in the conference this season, but have fallen short as the season has played out. Last week, WOU dropped a mistake filled four set match with Western Washington in its only game of the week. The Wolves have dropped their last two matches and are trying to rebound in the second half of the conference season. They are led in kills by Danielle Reese with 227 and are led in hitting percentage by Laura Sakala with a .365. WOU has been outhit this season .189 to .229 by its opponents.

INSIDE THE SERIES...
Montana State Billings is just 1-6 in the seven meetings prior to this week’s match-up. They are 0-3 all-time in Monmouth and at neutral sites, but are 1-1 at home. The lone victory came in Alterowitz on Sept. 15, 2007, 3-1. The Yellowjackets have lost three-straight to the Wolves dating back to the Sept. 15

LOOKING AHEAD
After concluding the two game road trip, MSUB will return home for the three match home finally. First, the ‘Jackets will take on Seattle Pacific on Thursday, Oct. 29 at 7 p.m., MSUB won the first match in Seattle, 3-2. Next, Western Oregon returns the trip to Billings on Thursday, Nov. 5 at 7 p.m., and then the Yellowjackets will host senior night against Alaska Fairbanks on Saturday, Nov. 7 at 7 p.m.

AMONG THE NATIONS ELITE...
Devon Crotteau currently ranks fifth in the nation with 4.36 kills per set, the leader, Melinda Bastian of Benedict, has 4.93. Crotteau’s numbers currently rank her first in the GNAC and are also tops in the conference for points per set (4.92) and are fifth in hitting percentage and service aces per set.

PORTER EARNS POW...
Porter was named Great Northwest Athletic Conference Co-Player of the Week (Oct. 5) after helping the Yellowjackets to wins over Alaska Anchorage and previously unbeaten Seattle Pacific. In three matches, she had 29 kills and a team-best 16 blocks. Her third-set block ignited a comeback from a 17-11 deficit and she then later had a kill to break a 24-24 tie in a 26-24 set victory over the Seawolves. She finished with 10 kills and four blocks against UAA, then had 13 kills and seven blocks against NNU and then contributed six kills and five blocks against SPU.

CROTTEAU EARNS POW
Senior outside hitter, Devon Crotteau, was named Great Northwest Athletic Conference Player of the Week this past week. It is her first weekly conference honor of the season. The Casper, Wyo. native recorded 48 kills and 23 digs and hit for a .349 percentage as the Yellowjackets went 1-1 on their recent trip to Alaska. Her 31 kills at Fairbanks are a season-best for the conference and she now has four of the top eight kill totals in the conference this season. Crotteau leads the GNAC in kills (4.55) and points (5.20) and ranks 14th in career kills (1,114).

CROTTEAU EARNS ALL-TOURNAMENT
Devon Crotteau earned all-tournament honors for her 66 kills and .327 hitting percentage over the weekend. She also earned 42 digs, seven blocks and six aces during the tournament.

A GRAND MILESTONE
Four Players in MSUB volleyball history have eclipsed 1,000 kills in their career. This season, Devon Crotteau made it five. Crotteau entered the 2009 season just 127 kills shy of the mark. With 19 kills in the final match against University of Mary (Sept. 5), Crotteau had exactly 1,000 kills. With her performance at the MSUB Invite., Crotteau is now fourth on the all-time kills list at MSUB, passing Brandee Sayles (1994-97) with 1,043 kills. Crotteau also became the 22nd player in GNAC history to record 1,000 career kills.

WHAT TO EXPECT IN 2009
Former Fort Hays State coach Steve Smith (44-82, 4 years) takes over at Montana State Billings and has six letter winners available off last year’s team, which looks to improve on last season and build a new winning tradition.

Among the six is outside hitter Devon Crotteau (6-0, Sr., Casper, WY – Northern Colorado), who was one of the top kill producers in the GNAC, averaging 3.89 to rank second in the conference.

Crotteau also ranked 10th in kill percentage (.246), netted 3.19 digs per contest and contributed 29 aces and 36 blocks.

Also back are outside hitter Jennifer Boe (5-8, Jr., Casper, WY – Kelly Walsh), setter Hillary Morrison (5-10, Sr., Casper, WY – Chadron State) and libero Jill Trabing (5-8, Sr., Buffalo, WY).

Boe averaged 2.51 kills and 2.75 digs. Morrison was credited with 7.36 assists and Trabing had 3.52 digs.

Smith’s first MSUB team will include only two other letter winners – middle blocker Melissa Porter (6-3, So., Redmond, UT – North Sevier) and defensive specialist Whitney Mickelsen (5-4, So., Aurora, UT – North Sevier) – along with five freshmen.

YELLOWJACKETS TABBED EIGHTH
The Montana State Billings volleyball team was selected eighth in the annual Great Northwest Athletic Conference preseason poll. The Yellowjackets received 15 points behind conference favorite Western Washington with 60 points. Returning for MSUB is one of the league’s top kill producers in Devon Crotteau. Last season she ranked second in kills per game, averaging 3.89. Joining Crotteau as returning letter winners will be Jennifer Boe, Hillary Morrison, Jill Trabing, Melissa Porter, and Whitney Mickelson.

Yellowjackets Ink Two-Sport Product
Kayla Neumiller signed with the Yellowjackets for the 2009-2010 season. Neumiller plans on competing in both volleyball and track & field. Neumiller lettered all four years in high school in volleyball and was an all-state selection as a junior and senior. She was a first team all-conference selection for three years and earned state all-tournament honors as a senior. Neumiller recorded 330 kills, 48 blocks, 83 aces and 406 digs during her senior year and amassed over 1,000 kills (1,026), 211 aces and 161 blocks in her high school career.

Steve Smith begins his first season as the head coach at Montana State University Billings. He comes to the Yellowjackets after four seasons at Fort Hays State University where he guided the Lady Tigers to a 16-15 record in 2005 and a berth in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference tournament. Smith led FHSU to double-digit wins in two of his four seasons and just missed his third this past year.

Prior to his tenure at FHSU, Smith served as the assistant coach at Western Oregon University for nine seasons under Judy Lovre, the program’s leader in career victories. During his time at WOU, Smith helepd guide the Wolves to a 170-122 record, including four-straight appearances in the NAIA National Championship tournament from 1996-99.

Smith also coached various club and high school teams, including the No Dinx Volleyball Club from 2003-05 in Corvallis, Ore., and the Salem (Ore.) Volleyball Club from 2001-03. Smith also served as a club coach for six years (1995-2001) for the Emerald City Volleyball Club in Eugene, Ore., and was the head coach at Stayton High School in Stayton, Ore., from 1993-96.

A native of Salem, Ore., Smith received his bachelor’s degree and master’s degrees in physical education from Western Oregon University.