Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 5FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – August 19^th, 2023
 
Helena, MT. | The Warner Pacific Volleyball squad played their final two games in the Big Sky Challenge today in Helena, MT.
 
Game 1
The first game of the day was against Mount Vernon Nazarene University from the state of Ohio this morning at Helena High School. The game was a tough one for the Knights on the scoreboard but they battled hard and had some solid plays. They lost each set by a final score of 25-14, 25-15, and 25-6 respectively.
 
This weekend wasn't necessarily as much about winning games as it was gaining experience for a team that hasn't played together much at all. Head coach, Kim Lissinna, was happy about the weekend and proud of the way the Knights battled on the court.
 
"This weekend was a great learning experience for our young team," Lissinna said. "We improved in each match we played and had some returners show up in big ways."
 
Game 2
The second game was against Rocky Mountain College. The Knights lost the first two sets 25-20, and 25-18. They played both really close and were in it the entire time until the end of both sets.
 
After the Battling Bears took the first two sets, they won the third as well but it was anything but an easy set for the Bears to take. The Knights put up a huge fight going up 8-1 early giving up the first point and then going on an 8-0 run with Hana Menasco serving for seven of the eight points.
 
Elizabeth Reid and Kyla Reiling started to connect really well with Reiling setting it to Reid who curled around Reiling on a wheel route play to her right and smacked ace after ace into the teeth of the Bears defense. The pair kept doing that play or variations of that play because the Bears couldn't stop it.
 
The set went back and forth a little until RMC started to catch some mojo and took the battle to the Knights roaring back to tie the game at 17 apiece. Even thought the Bears came back, the Knights didn't curl up and die. They continued to fight hard and withstood the comeback and made it a close battle to the very end. Unfortunately the Bears ended up winning the set by a score of 25-22 but they had to earn it.
 
Elizabeth Reid led the way for the Knights with 13 kills and only two errors which helped add up to a very impressive .440 percentage. Maryanne Tulele had five kills while Hailey Charriere and Autumn Gaboury-Parker each checked in with three of their own.
 
Next Up
The Knights will make the 10 hour 7 minute drive back to Warner Pacific and spend a little time at home before heading back on the road to. Then on Thursday, August 24^th, the Knights will be in California for the Menlo College Tournament where they will take on Menlo College and Pacific Union College on the same day.