Yellowjackets’ Bratton Named PacWest Player of the Week (Sept. 7, 2004)

BILLINGS, MT – Montana State-Billings sophomore outside hitter Jessica Bratton was named the Pacific West Conference Player of the Week after leading the Yellowjackets to the title at the Aspen Hotels Invitational in Anchorage over the weekend.  The Casper, Wyo., native was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.

Bratton averaged a tournament-best 4.79 kills per game with a .250 hitting percentage.  She knocked down a match-high 16 kills in the championship match victory over host Alaska-Anchorage and posted double-digit kills in all four matches of the tournament.  She had a career-best 23 kills in the Yellowjackets’ only loss of the tournament, a 3-2 loss to UAA on Friday night.  In 14 games, Bratton had 67 kills with just 28 attack errors on 156 total attempts.  She also had 19 digs and eight total blocks. 

The Yellowjackets handed the Seawolves their first loss at their own tournament in nearly three years.  Alaska-Anchorage had won the tournament two straight years and entered the championship match with an 11-match winning streak at the tournament dating back to 2002.  Along with Bratton, Olivia Munro (Sr., OH, Toronto, Ontario) and Natalie Bills (So., S, Provo, UT) were named to the all-tournament team.