M-ettes punch ticket to state!!!!

For the first time since 2002, the Malta M-ettes Volleyball Team will be headed to the State B Volleyball Tournament.

"Wow, I can't even put into words how proud we are of these young ladies," Malta Head Coach Tasha Hines said. "It's awesome!"

The M-ettes will be paired with the Huntley Project Red Devils in the opening round of the 2021 State B Volleyball Tournament, at the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse at Montana State University in Bozeman on Thursday, November 11, at 2 p.m. The game will air on NFHS network.

The Red Devils have won three of the last four state titles. Their quest for a four-peat was thwarted by Joliet in 2020, but Huntley Project has only lost three sets this season; total. Their latest win was a 3-0 Southern Championship win over Jefferson on Saturday, November 6, in Worden.

"They move very fast and are fundamentally solid," Coach Hines said of Huntley Project. "We have to hit at them, we have to wear them down, HP isn't tall so that is something we have going for us. If we play Huntley with the grit and determination that we played Shelby we'll get it. We have to be mentally prepared for anything, we have to make our serves, move defensively, and hit aggressively."

The M-ettes punched their ticket to state by defeating the Shelby Coyotes for the second time last week in the 2021 Northern B Divisional Tournament last Friday, November 5, in Glasgow.

Malta went 3-2 at the Northern B, losing to Glasgow in the third-place game, which would've given Malta a berth in the Championship game.

In Malta's state-qualifying win over Shelby on Friday, the scores were 25-19, 25-20, and 25-15.

"Our focus was a complete turnaround, a train could not have stopped them," Coach Hines said of her team. " Our tempo was unmatched and our tenacity was 100%. Everything that they needed to do, they did."

The M-ettes were led by Allison Kunze who had nine of Malta's 34 kills. She also had seven blocks. Rylee Hines set up teammates with 16 assists, and Lauren Tuss had a team-high 15 digs. Malta had a total of 34 kills, nine blocks, five aces, 85 digs, and 27 assists.

In their loss to Glasgow in the third-place game the following day, the scores were 15-25, 11-25, and 21-25. Malta was led by Kunze, who had five of Malta's 17 kills and three of four blocks.

Hines had seven of Malta's 17 assists, two aces, and six digs. Lauren Tuss also had six digs.

"They are the scrappiest & probably the mentally strongest team that Glasgow has seen in a long time," Coach Hines said. "Their libero Blaire Westby is a key to their success, if she can get a touch she can put it up playable, she gives their offense the ability to run such a fast-tempo game."

Despite things not going Malta's way in each of the times they have matched up with Glasgow, coach Hines knows that playing a team as tough as the Scotties is good for the team.

"It's always beneficial to play those strong teams because you have to stay determined and strong every point of every match," Coach Hines said. "When you get to play those kinds of games, you learn from them and carry that forward, and that's exactly what we will do."

To reach the third-place match against Shelby, Malta defeated the Conrad Cowgirls 3-2 on the morning of Friday, November 5. The scores were 23-25, 25-14, 25-18, 24-26, 15-6.

"Conrad definitely brought it, it was a battle!" Coach Hines said. "I do think we overlooked them a little since they came in that fourth seed; we definitely underestimated them. We missed some key serves and were not moving fast on defense, but we pulled it together in the final set."

Kunze posted 18 kills and seven blocks. Rylee Hines had 18 of Malta's 105 digs and 19 of 42 assists. Tia Siewing had six of Malta's 13 assists.

Malta's first loss came in the second round against the Choteau Bulldogs, who would eventually defeat Glasgow in the Northern B Championship. The scores were 13-25, 21-25, and 15-25.

Kunze had eight of Malta's 24 kills and 14 of Malta's 69 digs. Tuss had 11 of 24 assists. Kunze and Skylie Lefdahl each had three blocks. Hines had two of Malta's four aces.

Malta started off the tournament with a win over Shelby on Thursday, November 4. The scores were 26-24, 15-24, 25-17, 21-25, and 15-10.

Lefdahl led the M-ettes with 14 kills. Lefdahl and Kunze both had four blocks. Kunze had 26 of Malta's 119 digs. Hines had 21 of 36 assists. Tuss had three aces.