Yellowjackets Bring Down Falcons, 3-1

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BILLINGS, Mont. - For the second time this season the Montana State Billings volleyball squad took down one of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference’s top teams, Seattle Pacific, 3-1 Thursday evening at Alterowitz Gymnasium. The Yellowjackets moved to 7-5 in conference play, 14-10 overall and moved within a game and a half of the second place Falcons.

“It was a quality win for us and a statement game,” said head coach Steve Smith. “The fact that we’re able to go 4-0 this season against the top two teams in the conference proves that we could be at the top as well. I was extremely happy that we finally showed our hometown crowd that this team is capable of playing at a high level. Many times I feel we play so much better on the road, it was great to get a performance like this at home.”

Devon Crotteau led the ‘Jackets with a double-double, recording 18 kills and 12 digs with a .229 hitting average and three service aces. Jen Boe also recorded another double-double with 10 kills and 14 digs, while Jody Lutz, reigning conference player of the week, added six blocks and Jill Trabing had a team-high 17 digs.

MSUB established its dominance in the first set early-on, building an 11-5 lead and extending the lead by as many as eight at 18-10. Lutz polished off the first set with a kill from Hillary Morrison as the ‘Jackets hit an astounding .538 in the set with 16 kills and two errors on 26 attempts. MSUB dominated the set despite the Falcons hitting .333 during the set.

Set two provided a more exciting atmosphere as the Yellowjackets saw a 17-12 lead midway through dwindle into a 22-22 tie toward the end. After tying the match, SPU gift wrapped the set for the ‘Jackets, committing three attacking errors to end the set, 25-22. Both teams had significantly lower numbers in the second as MSUB hit just .116 while holding the Falcons to .095 hitting.

Leading 2-0, MSUB looked to score its third straight sweep, but the Falcons had other ideas. SPU started the match on a 7-1 run and never looked back, hitting .206 in the set and downing the ‘Jackets, 25-18.
In the fourth, MSUB didn’t want to see SPU climb back in the match, jumping out to an 11-6 lead behind a Crotteau kill. The Falcons could only get as close as five at 21-16 before the ‘Jackets closed things out. A pair of kills from Crotteau and an attacking error by SPU finished off the match as the Yellowjackets swung for an average of .250 in the final set.

SPU was led by Paige Hoffman and her 11 kills and .476 hitting percentage. Cortney Weedman recorded 22 assists as Shelby Swanson accounted for the other majority with 27. Anna Herold recorded a match-high 18 digs, while Kylie Johnson had a match-high eight blocks.