Skylights find the going tough at UGF Volleyball Classic

George Ferguson

Havre Daily News sports editor

In eight matches this early season, it has been feast or famine for the Montana State University-Northern volleyball team.

After going 1-3 last weekend at a tournament in Lewiston, Idaho, in which the Skylights either swept or got got swept on the weekend, Northern found itself with the exact same results this weekend at the University of Great Falls Volleyball Classic.

The Skylights went 1-3 in four matches, and like last weekend, they failed to win a game in the three matches that they lost.

On Friday night, Northern opened the tournament against Frontier Conference foe UM-Western, and the Skylights wasted little time in taking down the defending conference champions. Northern swept the Bulldogs by scores of 30-28, 32-30 and 30-21. Rachel Mrdeza continued her fine play at the net with 14 kills. Setter Brittany Sesler accounted for all 25 of MSU-N’s assists.

However, as quickly as Northern won its second match of the season, the Skylights turned around and got swept by Madonna University by scores of 30-17, 32-30 and 30-23.

Madonna turned up the defensive heat on the Skylights, as they only managed 31 kills on the night. Mrdeza led the way offensively with 13 kills and a pair of service aces. Sesler had another solid outing despite the loss, racking up 27 assists and two aces, as well as 10 digs. Jessica Ryan led the Skylights defensively with 13 digs.

After going 1-1 on Friday, MSU-N’s fortunes did not get any better on Saturday afternoon. The Skylights dropped a three-game decision to conference favorite and tournament host UGF to start the day. After the Argos pulled out a close 30-27 win in the opening game of the match, they ran away from MSU-N, finishing off the sweep by scores of 30-17 and 30-23.

For the third straight match, Mrdeza led the way on offense with 11 kills. Jeanna McPherson also had a strong all-around match for the Skylights with seven kills and a pair of blocks.

In their final match of the tournament, the Skylights found themselves on the wrong end of more of the same. Northern got swept by National American by scores of 30-17, 30-10 and 30-24.

The final loss of the tournament put the Skylights record at 2-6 overall with just six games won against 18 lost. That might not be the start to the season that the young Skylights and new head coach Dave Ryan were looking for.

MSU-N will get another chance to gear up for the Frontier Conference season this weekend when they attend a tournament hosted by UM-Western in Dillon.

UGF Classic

at Great Falls

Friday

MSU-Northern def. UM-Western

30-28, 32-30, 30-21

MSU-N Leaders — Kills 36 (Rachel Mrdeza 14); Blocks 3 (Tera O’Haire 1.5); Aces 5 (O’Haire 2, Jody Berglund 2); Assists 25 (Brittany Sesler 25); Digs 38 (Jessica Ryan 14).

Madonna def. MSU-Northern

30-17, 30-24, 30-23

MSU-N Leaders — Kills 31 (Rachel Mrdeza 13, Tera O’Haire 5); Blocks 5 (Jody Berglund 2); Aces 7 (Mrdeza 2, Sesler 2); Assists 31 (Brittany Sesler 27) Digs 46 (Jessica Ryan 13, Brittany Sesler 10).

Saturday

UGF def. MSU-Northern

30-27, 30-16, 30-23

MSU-N Leaders — Kills 36 (Rachel Mrdeza 11, Jeanna McPherson 7, Jody Berglund 7); Blocks 7.5 (Tera O’Haire 4.5); Aces 4 (Brittany Sesler 2); Assists 36 (Brittany Sesler 25); Digs 50 (Kelly Thorpe 17).

National American def. MSU-Northern

30-17, 30-10, 30-24

MSU-N Leaders — Kills 23 (Jody Berglund 8, Tera O’Haire 6); Blocks 9 (Tera O’Haire 2.5); Aces 2 (Kylie Griffeth 2); Assists 23 (Brittany Sesler 20); Digs 35 (Kylie Griffeth 8, Jody Berglund 8).