M-ettes succumb to Scotties

It was a tough week for the young M-ette volleyball team as they dropped two games, both in straight sets, to Poplar on Friday and then Glasgow at home on Saturday.

"It didn't go so well today," senior Riley Mortenson said. "But we played a lot better tonight. I felt today we communicated and played more as a team. Yesterday (against Poplar) we seemed really slow when we were warming up and we didn't get going."

In the third set, Malta looked to be working on a comeback and though they trailed 23-12 in the frame, the team was able to peel-off seven straight points – junior Raleigh Hunter on all seven serves and kills by both Mary Kalal and Shay Garfield – but the Scotties stymied the run and went on for the eventual 3-0 victory, 25-17, 25-18 and 25-19.

"We had a lot of communication and we got the momentum going in our favor," Mortenson recalled. "We were just more aggressive."

Coach Tatafu said that Garfield's blocking really picked-up during the seven point run and agreed with Mortenson's thoughts on communication.

"They were talking better there," coach Tatafu said. "We started talking again and getting excited. We stole the momentum."

Prior to the weekend's play of volleyball, coach Tatafu said the sickness bug plagued the team during the week's practice. She said 10 to 12 girls missed parts of practice because they were sick and added that Sam Mitchell, the team's starting setter, was still out sick.

"But Kyleigh (Schipman) did a great job," she said. "As a freshman setter, trying to fill those shoes, she did great."

In Sub-Varsity action, The M-ette's JV squad lost to Glasgow, 3-0, 26-24, 25-19 and 15-13 while the M-ett's C-Squad earned a win, 3-0, swatting the Scotties 25-18, 25-18 and 15-12.

The team will next play in North Dakota as they travel to play in the Dickinson Invite on Friday and Saturday.