M-ettes defeat Harlem; fall in other games

The M-ettes went 1-2 over their last three games, picking up a win over the Harlem Wildcats in Malta, while falling to the Chinook Sugarbeeters and Wolf Point Wolves in away games.

In the team's home game against Harlem on Thursday, October 4, Malta was able to win in three games. The scores were 25-12, 25-18, and 25-16.

"The key to our win was our communication and us being positive with each other," senior hitter Kloie Marks told the PCN.

Before the game, senior setter Raina Mortenson could be heard practicing with fellow senior setter Kyleigh Schipman, announcing her intent to pass the ball with every hit, over and over.

"I just do it all the time," Mortenson said.

Janessa Malmend led the team scoring seven of the team's 24 kills, posting 10 of the team's 37 digs and registering two of the team's three blocks.

Mortenson led the team in aces, racking up five of 16 total. Mortenson tied with Schipman for the lead in assists; both had 12, making up the team total of 24.

The team was able to get ahead of Harlem early in the first two sets, going up 11-4 in the first set and 7-1 in the second set.

"It was our communication, and we were all positive with each other," Mortenson said. "We didn't bring each other down even if we made a mistake. We just played like a really good team together."

The win gave Malta their first sweep of the season, having defeated Harlem on Thursday, September 13, in Harlem.

The M-ettes took on the Chinook Sugarbeeters in Chinook on Tuesday, October 2 and lost 3-2.

The M-ettes were led by Malmend who led in kills, blocks and was tied for the lead in aces. She had 13 of the team's 38 kills, two of the team's five blocks, and two of the team's 10 aces.

Schipman led in assists with 19 of the team's 38. Marks led in digs with 17 of the team's 68. Mortenson, Marks, Malmend, and Schipman tied for the team lead in aces with two each. The team had a total of ten aces.

Chinook's Kourtney Hanson had 29 kills, eight blocks, and three aces.

After falling 20-25 in the first round, Malta bounced back to take sets two and three with the scores being 25-20 and 25-22 respectively.

"I just felt like we could do this, we should figure this out and then we just decided that those next two sets were ours," Marks recalled about the game.

Malta lost the fourth set 25-14 and then the fifth set 15-3.

"I think that we kind of stopped communicating and we let their confidence bring us down," Mortenson said. "That was probably the main thing that hurt us."

The M-ettes also lost 3-0 to the Wolves on Saturday, October 6. The scores were 25-13, 25-23, and 25-12.

Malmend led the team with 10 digs, seven kills, and two blocks. Mortenson had 12 assist and five aces. Schipman also had 12 assists.

As the post-season draws ever closer, the team knows how they want to attack the last two weeks of the regular season.

"I think that as much as we communicate we have to communicate more, get our serves in, and continue to build each other up even when we are not feeling good (about our play)," Marks said.

The M-ettes take on the Glasgow Lady Scotties for Malta's Senior Night on Thursday, October 11, at 3:30 p.m. Malta will then travel to Poplar to take on the Indians on Friday, October 12, at 3 p.m. The team will then take on the North Country Mavericks in Saco on Tuesday, October 16, at 5 p.m. The team's final regular season game is scheduled to take place against Roundup on Thursday, October 18, at 3 p.m.