Jacket Volleyball Earns Road Sweep (10/6/06)
Box Score
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SAN ANTONIO, TX – The Montana State-Billings volleyball team trailed for only a handful of points Friday night in posting a 3-0 sweep of University of the Incarnate Word, 30-18, 30-22, 30-25.  The win improved the Yellowjackets to 15-4 overall and 3-0 in the Heartland Conference.  The Cardinals dropped to 5-15, 0-4.

MSU Billings never trailed at any point in either of the first two games of the match.  In a 2-0 hole, the Cardinals responded with a 4-0 run to start game No. 3.  The Yellowjackets battled back, eventually tying the game at 6-6 on an Alicia Cazemier (Vauxhall, AB) service ace.  Cazemier served up seven-straight points to turn the game around, giving the Yellowjackets a lead they would not relinquish.

The Yellowjacket offense was effective all night, posting a .333 team attack percentage for the match.  Ali Watson (Calgary, AB) knocked down 17 kills on 30 attempts with just two errors for a .500 attack percentage.  Cazemier and Jessica Bratton (Casper, WY) each added 11 kills.  Nicole Kruse (Huntley, MT) led the Jacket defense with 24 digs.

Natalie Bills (Provo, UT) guided the Jacket attack with 44 assists.  She also had two of the team’s eight service aces.  Cazemier led all players with three aces.  Taylor Faught (Billings, MT) also had two.  After giving up a season-high 13 aces in last week’s loss to Texas A&M-International, the Yellowjackets allowed just one to the Cardinals on Friday.

The Cardinals were paced by a match-high 18 kills from Kim Kvapil.  Kari Chapman added 10 kills, and Emily Kopecki chipped in with seven.  All three players had attack percentages over .230.  Kvapil also had a team-high 12 digs.

The Jackets and Cardinals will meet again on Saturday at 2:00 p.m.  Following that match MSU Billings returns to Billings for five-straight home matches beginning October 13 against St. Edward’s University.