Lady Jackets Tame Bears in Four (9/27/05)
Box Score

BILLINGS, MT – Despite sputtering early on, the Montana State-Billings volleyball team dispatched Rocky Mountain College, 3-1, Tuesday night at Rocky’s Fortin Center.  The win improved the Yellowjackets to 13-4 overall.

The Yellowjackets didn’t play two of their best games of the year in the first two games, but they still entered the third game with a 1-1 tie in the match.  In the opening game the Bears led by as much as 15-8, but MSU Billings rallied to tie the game at 15-15 and 16-16.  The Jackets never trailed after that point, winning 30-24.  MSU Billings had a team attack percentage of just .156, but forced the Bears into a .096 average.

The second game opened as a see-saw battle leading to a 10-10 tie.  But the Bears never trailed from that point, opening a lead as large as five points before settling for a 30-27 victory.  Again, neither team attacked particularly well with the Yellowjackets hitting .171 and the Bears .282. 

MSU Billings found a way to turn things around about midway through the third game.  After trailing by as many as five and as late as 16-15, the Yellowjackets attack came to life as they coasted to a 30-24 win and a 2-1 lead in the match.  Taylor Faught’s (Fr., Billings, MT) service ace ended the game and sent MSU Billings into the fourth game with strong momentum.

“I thought our kids did a great job of not letting the game get out of the control at their place,” said Yellowjacket coach Pa’ulasi Matavao.  “Rocky was playing well.  They were ready for us.  Our kids did a great job of keeping composure and just playing the game.  I think our new kids didn’t know what to expect.  We’ve had a nice rivalry with Rocky for the last few years.  The kids that have been in the program know how that goes.  It doesn’t matter who’s playing well.  A lot of times it’s who hangs in there the longest and survives the emotional part early in the match.  We had to come from behind to win some matches at the first tournament of the year in Arkansas, and I think that attitude carried on from there.”

The Yellowjackets controlled the final game from start to finish, jumping to an 8-2 lead and never trailing.  MSU Billings hit a blistering .357 as a team in the fourth game, winning going away, 30-18.

The Jackets’ Ali Watson (Jr., Calgary, Alberta) led all players with 17 kills in the match, picking up 15 digs for the double-double.  Jessica Bratton (Jr., Casper, WY) added 16 kills, and Alicia Cazemier (So., Vauxhall, Alberta) finished with 14.  Cazemier also had five blocks.  Setter Natalie Bills (Jr., Provo, UT) handed out 55 assists and also had eight digs.

Alexis Sandru (Jr., Twin Bridges, MT) finished the night with 10 kills on a .304 attack percentage.  Jessica Lechner (Fr., Huntley, MT) added seven kills on just 11 attempts.  Libero Nicole Kruse (So., Huntley, MT) picked up 15 digs.  Watson, Bills, and Faught each had three service aces on the night, and the Jackets drilled 11 as a team.

Rocky was led by 13 kills from Heather MacArthur.  Bethany Kost and Kelly Fox each added 11 kills.  Jen Buening led all players with 17 digs, and Erin Pehl had four aces.

The Yellowjackets return to Heartland Conference play this weekend when they play at Dallas Baptist on Friday and Saturday.  They’ll travel to Oklahoma Panhandle State for a pair of conference matches next Monday and Tuesday. 

MSU Billings is nearing the school record for victories in a season.  In 2001 they won 15 matches, going 15-15.  Last season the Yellowjackets had their first winning season on record at 14-11.  Their 13-4 start to the 2005 campaign is by far the best start in the program’s history.