Jackets Stay Unbeaten in HLC Play (10/7/06)
Box Score
Coach Matavao post game audio

SAN ANTONIO, TX – For the second time in as many days, the Montana State-Billings volleyball team swept University of the Incarnate Word, 3-0.  The win (30-20, 30-25, 30-20) kept the Yellowjackets perfect in Heartland Conference play at 4-0 and improved their overall record to 16-4.  The Cardinals fell to 5-16 overall and 0-5 in the conference.

The only point at which MSU Billings trailed the entire match was 5-4 in the second game.  The Jackets dominated nearly all facets of the match statistically.  They out-hit the Cardinals .304 to .120, had 28 more kills, 25 more assists, 25 more digs, and two more service aces.  The Cardinals out-blocked MSUB 9-4.

“We came out strong again, just like we did last night,” said Yellowjacket coach Pa’ulasi Matavao.  “The energy level was good.  The girls did a good job of keeping the intensity level up.  We did a great job of executing the things we wanted to do.”

The Jackets’ Ali Watson (Calgary, AB) led all players with 17 kills on a .314 attack percentage.  She added 14 digs for the double-double.  Alicia Cazemier (Vauxhall, AB) finished with a dozen kills and was in on four blocks.  Jessica Bratton (Casper, WY) added 10 kills on a .391 attack percentage, and Jessica Lechner (Pompeys Pillar, MT) pitched in with eight kills on a .429 attack percentage.

Setter Natalie Bills (Provo, UT) handed out 40 assists to go with 11 digs for the Yellowjackets.  Four different Yellowjackets picked up double-digit digs led by Nicole Kruse’s (Huntley, MT) match-high 20.  Taylor Faught (Billings, MT) had 13 digs and a team-high three aces.  Watson, Kruse and Alexis Sandru (Twin Bridges, MT) each had two aces.

Incarnate Word was led by Kim Kvapil’s 10 kills and 11 digs.  No other Cardinal posted double-digits in either category.  Kortni Richter had eight kills on a .412 attack percentage.  Kari Chapman and Emily Kopecki combined for seven of the team’s nine service aces.