Pioneers 3... Rocky JV 0 (25-18, 27-25, 25-20)

It took the 2023 MCC Pioneer volleyball team 5 tries to match the win total of the 2022 Pioneers. MCC took control early in game 1 and fought their way to a 3-0 victory over the Rocky Mountain College JV. 

The Pioneers got off to a quick 8-3 lead only to see the Bears rally back to cut the lead to 13-12. The Pioneers then quickly rattled off 6 points for a 19-12 advantage and cruised to a 25-18 win and a 1-0 lead. 

Game 2 was a back and forth affair that saw both teams take leads early in the game and MCC seemed to take control with a 21-17 advantage. Rocky battled back and had game point in the palm of their hands with a 23-24 lead only to see middle hitter Leah Champlin (Billings, MT) put a way a kill to tie the score at 24-24. MCC then had 2 game points of their own and put the match away with another Champlin kill and a commanding 2-0 lead. 

MCC jumped out to a 5-0 lead to start game 3 but Rocky quickly tied the score at 5-5. MCC rattled off the the next 5 points for a 10-5 lead. Rocky then cut the lead to 10-8 before the Pioneers stretched the lead to 15-11 and maintained a comfortable lead from there enroute to a 25-20 match closing victory. 

Champlin led the Pioneers with 12 kills and Kodiann Lynn (Simms, MT) added 9. Setter Maria Stewart (Billings, MT) set up 32 assists and added 2 service aces. Ashtynn Egan (Colstrip, MT) and Bree Swanson (Chinook, MT) each had 23 digs to lead the defensive side of the net while Ruby Gray (Billings, MT) had 4 blocks. 

The Pioneers will hit the road to North Dakota over the weekend for 2 matches with Jamestown JV on Sunday afternoon. They will follow that with another non-conference match against Trinity Bible College on Monday before starting MonDak Conference play with matches at NDSCS on Tuesday (August 29) and at Lake Region State on Wednesday (August 30). 

MCC will play its 1st home conference match on Labor Day when they host Bismarck State at 4:00 PM.