Yellowjackets Sweep Seawolves with Quick Turn-Around

Box Score

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Just over 24 hours later after a hearbreaking five-set loss at Alaska Fairbanks, the Montana State Billings volleyball team responded nicely with a 3-0 sweep (27-25, 25-18, 25-18) at Alaska Anchorage to earn its first Great Northwest Athletic Conference victory of the season.  With the win, the Yellowjackets improved to 7-6 overall and 1-2 in league play.

“It was a real solid performance tonight and the main thing is we were the aggressors all the way through and we got the job done tonight,” head coach Steve Smith said.  “Even that run by UAF in the final game scoring five straight points we were able to get past that and finish them off.”

The Yellowjackets were led by a solid effort from senior outside hitter Devon Crotteau who had 17 kills and nine digs to lead the team.  Jill Trabing and Jen Boe had 13 and 10 digs, respectively, to lead the team. 

In the first set, UAA (8-5, 0-1 GNAC) was leading 24-22 when Crotteau tallied two straight kills to pull the set even.  After a timeout by the Seawolves, Crotteau came up with another kill for a 25-24 lead, which was the first lead of the set for the Yellowjackets since 7-6.  Jody Lutz and Boe came up with a big block on the next play for the 27-25 win.

“In the first set we didn’t play all that well, but we fought and scrapped and found a way to win the set,” Smith said.

Set two was tight and tied 16-16 when UAA’s floor general and GNAC assists per game leader (9.91) left the game with the flu.  The Seawolves were never able to recover as MSUB scored the final seven points of the set for a 25-18 win.

“We played better in the second set and got on them and when their setter went out with the flu we smelled blood in the water and we jumped all over them from that moment on,” Smith said.  “I hate to see someone go off the court like that but it is good that it wasn’t an injury and just the flu.”

In the third set, the Yellowjackets put it on early and built an 18-10 lead, but the Seawolves rattled off five straight points to close the deficit to 23-18, but two-straight kills by Crotteau ended the match and sealed the victory.

With the win, the Yellowjackets tie last season’s win total and earn their first sweep in the series since 2004.  MSUB now has won five of the last six meetings with the Seawolves.

For the match, the Yellowjackets hit .215 with 37 kills, 44 digs and 14 errors.  The Seawolves hit .194 with 37 kills, 46 digs and 16 errors.

The Yellowjackets return home to face cross-town rival, Rocky Mountain College on Tuesday at the Fortin Center and then host Saint Martin’s on Sept. 26 at 7 p.m., and Alaska Anchorage Sept. 28 at 7 p.m., in Alterowitz Gymnasium.

This season ALL MSUB volleyball matches will be FREE on the internet with live video and audio as the voice of the Yellowjackets, Ken Adelblue, will have the call.