M-ettes win last Home Game of Regular Season, to Face Fairview

The Malta Volleyball team went 2-1 last weekend, picking up wins against Harlem and Poplar, but falling to Cut Bank.

The M-ettes are scheduled to face the Fairview Warriors on Saturday, October 21, in Fairview for their last regular season game of 2023. Malta will then see action in the District 2B Tournament in Glasgow scheduled to start on Friday, October 27 and end on Saturday, October 28.

Malta won their last home game of the regular season last Saturday, October 14, as they defeated the Poplar Indians 3-0. The scores were 25-21, 25-16, and 29-27. The night also served as the team's senior night in which Elly Anderson, Kataya KillEagle, Giona Lamb, and Addison Ulrich were honored.

Lamb was asked what the key to their win over Poplar was.

"I think it was just having great energy even though we were losing at some points," Lamb said. "Also, communication with one another."

Anderson was asked how it felt to pick up a win on their senior night.

"It feels very good," she said. "That was our last time playing during the regular season in this gym, so it felt good to go out and win in three (sets)."

The team was down 19-24 in the final set, and KillEagle was able to serve her team back into the game. Good possessions on offense and defense helped.

"There was definitely a lot of pressure," KillEagle said. "But I just told myself to keep a positive mind and breathe through it. Having your team there to hype you up helps a lot."

Anderson, the team's libero, shared her perspective on the moment, which the team ultimately went on a 10-3 swing.

"To be honest, there wasn't a single thought in my mind that we were going to lose," Anderson said. "There was a lot of pressure and it was nerve-racking, but I just believed in Kataya the whole time."

Ulrich led the team in digs with 19 out of 92 team digs.

Anderson had three of Malta's nine team aces. Denvyr Tuss had nine of Malta's 34 kills. Neva Jacobson had 18 of 33 assists. Jacobson, Tuss, Kendall Clausen, and KillEagle each had one block.

Earlier last week on Thursday, October 12, the M-ettes defeated Harlem 3-2. The scores were 20-25, 25-11, 25-23, 16-25, and 15-5.

"I feel like we did a little bit better on staying hyped throughout the whole game," Lamb said of the victory. "Having a little more trust in each other helped also."

Tuss had a team-leading 16 kills and four blocks. Clausen had 29 of Malta's 113 digs. Jacobson had 44 of Malta's 48 assists. KillEagle had three of eight team aces.

Malta lost 0-3 to Cut Bank on Friday, October 13. The scores were 22-25, 17-25, and 18-25.

Clausen had six of Malta's 19 kills, 16 of 57 digs, and four out of Malta's nine aces. Macey Blunt had seven of 17 team assists, and Tuss had two of three blocks.

With the 2B Tournament fast approaching, Ulrich was asked what the team needs to improve moving forward.

"I think that we just need to keep our energy up the whole game, no matter what and keep working together," Ulrich said.