M-ettes learning to adjust

It was a rough week for the Malta M-ettes (1-5) as the team dropped three games last week, falling to Chinook, Harlem, and Wolf Point.

"It has been a tough week for us," Malta M-ette Co-Head Coach Kalli Rummel said. "We have been on two weeks of having three games. There has been a lot of pregame practice, a lot of bus rides, and sickness is going around."

The team has also been dealing with the injury bug as two of their starters have been sat. Starting hitter Kelbee Denham, a senior, will miss the rest of the season due to a leg injury.

Malta went the distance with the Harlem Lady Cats in Harlem on Thursday, September 19, losing 3-2 despite dropping the first set 14-25. The M-ettes bounced back in the second set, edging out a 25-23. Harlem was dominant in the third set dropping the M-ettes 25-15. Malta would take the fourth set 25-20 and Harlem won the fifth set 15-6.

Malta was led by senior Carly Garfield who had 13 of Malta's 32 kills and two of the team's three blocks. Freshman Lauren Tuss had 30 of Malta's 31 assists. Libero Kylie Hunter, a junior, had 33 of the team's 92 digs. Hunter also had two the the team's six aces.

The M-ettes would go on to lose 1-3 at home against the Wolf Point Wolves on Saturday, September 21. The scores were 27-25 (WP), 25-17 (Malta), 24-26 (WP), and 17-25 (WP).

"We were missing serves at key moments," Coach Rummel said. "That is definitely something we need to work on. Girls need to be ready and playing their position. The confidence has to get back and with having these losses in a row, it plays a huge role in the girls' confidence.

Garfield led the M-ettes with 11 of Malta's 31 kills and four of the team's five blocks. Hunter had 19 of Malta's 62 digs. Tuss had 28 of the team's 30 assists and Kaylanna Bain had two of the team's eight aces.

Earlier in the week, the M-ettes fell 1-3 to Chinook in Chinook on Tuesday, September 17. The scores were 20-25(Chi.), 8-25 (Chi.), 25-19 (Mal.), and 21-25 (Chi.).

Bain led Malta with nine of the team's 34 kills and the team's only block. Bain also led in aces with three of seven team aces. Erica Smith had 17 of Malta's 34 assists. Hunter had 18 of Malta's 68 digs.