Malta shocks Chinook in five

If you were the parent of a middle school girl that threw their pillow on the morning of Wednesday, October 11, chances are they saw the Malta M-ettes play one day prior.

The M-ettes overcame a 0-2 deficit to defeat the Chinook Sugarbeeters in Malta last Tuesday, October 10, in the Malta gymnasium. The scores were 20-25, 17-25, 25-11, 25-19 and 15-13.

"We had a rough start but we decided we were going to come back and that we were going to play our game," Schye said. "We really wanted to win."

The M-ettes were led by Schye who had 14 kills, eight aces and two of the team's three blocks.

Janessa Malmend and Kloie Marks each had 20 aces. The team had 103 digs. Sam Mitchell had 28 assists.

Though both teams were attacking early in the game, Chinook had the upper hand.

"I think we were just hesitating and we weren't getting loud," Schye said. "We weren't coming out and playing how we know how to play."

Schye and a few other M-ettes were active in getting the crowd to get loud before the third set. The crowd would not quiet down until after the team's win.

"I was trying to get the crowd to yell a little bit because it seems like we get excited when they are excited," Schye said. "It helps our momentum."

During the fifth set, it seemed as though Malta's momentum met a brick wall as Chinook went up 12-6 before Malta called a timeout.

"It wasn't quite working out for us in the beginning and we weren't as loud," Mitchell said. "We weren't really working together but during the end, I think all of us came together. We started trusting each other and stopped hesitating. I think that was the key of why we won that fifth set."

Malta's ability to fight back has been noted by coaches in previous weeks. It is something that the team has also noticed.

"I think we have all noticed that," Mitchell said. "Sometimes we just get behind by a considerable amount and then we just come back all of a sudden. I don't know why we even go in that valley but once we get going, we are out of it."

During their win, several hitters came up big.

"My teammates are doing good, hitting good and I am really proud of them and how they played," Schye said. "I couldn't ask for better teammates."

The team lost their next game 3-1 to Glasgow in Glasgow after winning the first set. The scores were 27-25, 22-25, 21-25 and 22-25.

Schye led the M-ettes with 15 of 33 kills. Mitchell had 18 of the team's 33 assists. Marks and Kyleigh Schipman both had 23 digs. Janessa Malmend had two of three team blocks.

The M-ettes will host their last game of the regular season on Thursday, October 19, against the Roundup Panthers at 3 p.m. The game will also serve as the Malta M-ette Volleyball Senior Night.