Volleyball | 9/1/2021 9:54:00 AM
Live Stats
Live Video (St. Martin)
Live Video (Black Hills)
Live Video (MSUB)
Live Video (SD Mines)
Full Game Notes (pdf)
MOORHEAD, Minn. — The Minnesota State University Moorhead volleyball team opens the 2021 season this weekend at the Yellow Jacket Invitational in Billings, Mont. The Dragons will play four non conference matches this week.
Their opponents include Saint Martin's on Friday at 10 a.m. Central time, Black Hills State on Friday at 6 p.m. CT, Montana State University Billings on Saturday at 11 a.m., and South Dakota Mines on Saturday at 3 p.m.
The Dragons were 9-19 in 2019 and return three starters and eight letterwinners from that team for Head Coach Bob Jones, who is in his first full season leading the MSUM program. Jones was an assistant in the MSUM program from 2016-2019.
Junior hitter Amanda Carlson led the Dragons in kills (191) and was second in digs (182) in 2019. Senior outside hitter Sarah Petrbok had 161 kills and a team-best 293 that season. Junior middle blocker Elise Bakke had 47 blocks and 97 kills while sophomore right-side hitter Teeya Doppler had 125 kills and 53 blocks. Sophomore defensive specialist Brooke Walthall was third on the team with 169 digs while sophomore hitter Bridget Witzmann had 158 kills, fourth-best on the team.
The Dragons will play another nonconference tournament at Northern State on Sept. 9-11. They open NSIC play on Sept. 17 at Upper Iowa. Their home opener is Sept. 21 at Minot State.
About St. Martin's
St. Martin's is in its first season under Head Coach Dan Behnke. The team went 1-28 in 2019. The Saints were picked to finish ninth in the GNAC preseason coaches poll. Kylie Alos averaged 4.92 digs per set for St. Martin's while Emily Gooding had 98 kills. The team has nine freshmen on its roster in 2021.
About Black Hills State
Black Hills State finished 12-15 overall and 10-9 in the RMAC in 2019. The Yellow Jackets return several players from that squad, including their top three hitters — Madison Hoopman (277 kills), Sierra Ward (260) and Kindra Cerrone (221). Their libero, Haedyn Rhoades, had 603 digs a year ago. Kristin Carmichael is in her eighth season as the Black Hills State head coach.
About MSU-Billings
Montana State-Billings went 8-22 in 2019. Senior Bayli Monck, a first-team all-conference player, had 314 kills in 2019 while senior Joelle Mahowald had 258. Monck also had 359 digs while Mahowald had 105 total blocks. Casey Williams is in her sixth season as the MSUB head coach.
About South Dakota Mines
South Dakota Mines went 11-16 in 2019 but returns several players, including top hitter Dana Thomson, who had 459 kills. Shyann Bastian returns after recording 719 set assists that season. Lauren Torvi Prochazka is in her third season as the South Dakota Mines head coach.
