Yellowjackets Win at Hilo to Earn Hawaii Split (Oct. 2, 2004)
Box Score

HILO, HI – For the first time in the program’s history, the Montana State-Billings volleyball team earned a four-match split on its annual trip to Hawaii.  The Yellowjackets defeated Hawaii-Hilo—30-25, 25-30, 30-14, 30-19—Saturday night to improve to 9-5 overall and 2-3 in the PacWest.  The Vulcans dropped to 4-10, 1-4.

The Yellowjackets opened the trip with a win at BYU-Hawaii on Monday for their first win ever in Laie.  After dropping matches to nationally-ranked Hawaii Pacific and conference contender Chaminade, the Jackets wrapped up the week-long trip with another strong performance in Hilo.

The teams split a pair of 30-25 games to open the match.  Entering game three tied a 1-1, the Yellowjackets took over the match.  MSU Billings hit .414 as a team while holding Hilo to -.111 in the third game on the way to a 30-14 route.  The Yellowjackets followed by hitting .371 as a team in the fourth and final game, winning easily again, 30-19.

Jessica Bratton (So., OH, Casper, WY) concluded a solid week with a match-high 19 kills against the Vulcans.  She posted matches of 13, 16, 17 and 19 kills for the week to climb into third place in the conference statistical rankings for kills per game (4.37). 

Olivia Munro (Sr., OH, Toronto, Ontario) recorded her third double-double of the trip with 18 kills and 10 digs.  She ranks in the top ten in the conference in both categories.

Andrea Donahue (Sr., MB, Whitefish, MT) continued her steady play with 10 kills and four blocks.  The transfer who is playing her first and only PacWest season is second in the conference for hitting percentage and ninth for blocks.  On Saturday, her 10 kills came on 19 attempts with only two errors.

Hilo had two players in double figures for kills.  Christina Cooley knocked down 14 and Maite Ardies added 12.  The Vulcans had 33 attack errors in the match, due in large part to being out blocked by the Yellowjackets 9-4.  Along with Donahue, Alicia Cazemier (Fr., MB, Vauxhall, Alberta) was in on five blocks and Bratton assisted on four.

Alberta Letoa (So., L, Laie, HI) picked up a match-high 17 digs to move into fifth in the conference for digs per game.  Natalie Bills (So., S, Provo, UT) handed out 47 assists for the Yellowjackets.

The Yellowjackets return to Alterowitz Gymnasium on October 8 and 9 to host BYU-Hawaii.  The matches will be the first two of nine-straight at home.