(Editor's note: MSUB Athletics release)
PORTLAND, Ore. – After playing her final two games in Alterowitz Gym, Montana State University Billings senior right side hitter Bayli Monck has earned the Great Northwest Athletic Conference’s offensive Player of the Week award. This is the second time Monck has earned the conference’s weekly award this season, and the third time in her career.
“Bayli had a great week and helped us upset one of the top teams in our conference,” MSUB head coach Casey Williams said. “She is a one-of-a-kind athlete and has definitely earned this award.”
Monck, who has posted double-doubles in five of the past six games, had several statistical milestones in MSUB’s home matches against Western Washington and Simon Fraser last week. Across both games, she averaged 3.86 kills and 4.57 digs per set.
Against Western Washington last Thursday, Monck joined rare company with her 1,000th dig, making her one of just five MSUB volleyball players – and the first in 11 years – to reach 1,000 career kills and 1,000 career digs. She achieved the former back on Sept. 16 against Central Washington.
Yet the highlight of Monck’s week was her 21-kill, 16-dig double-double in the Yellowjackets’ 3-1 win over Simon Fraser last Saturday.
Playing in front of her family and friends on senior day, the Colorado Springs native went out with a bang: She had six kills in the first set alone, then didn’t relent as five quick swings helped MSUB kick off set two with a 7-1 run. Early in the third set, Monck recorded her 83rd career service ace, moving her into the program’s top-10 leaderboard in service aces; as it stands, she is the only player ranked in MSUB’s top-10 list in kills (6th), digs (10th) total blocks (8th), service aces (10th). Fittingly, Monck’s 21st and final kill of the day came on match point to finish off MSUB’s convincing win over the third-ranked team in the West Region.
Western Washington’s Gabby Gunterman split the conference’s offensive player of the week award with Monck.
MSUB finishes the season with a two-game road trip against Northwest Nazarene on Thursday at 7 p.m, followed by the season finale against Central Washington on Saturday at 1 p.m. MT. Livestream and stat links can be found on the volleyball schedule page [msubsports.com] at msubsports.com.
