Lady Jackets Win Volleyball Conference Opener (9/16/05)
Box Score

BILLINGS, MT – The Montana State-Billings volleyball team defeated St. Mary’s University (TX), 3-1, Friday night in the Heartland Conference opener for both teams.  MSU Billings dropped the first game but bounced back to win 28-30, 30-28, 30-24, 30-27.  The Yellowjackets improved to 11-2 overall and 1-0 in the conference, dropping the Rattlers to 6-6, 0-1.  The same teams meet for a Heartland Conference match Saturday at 2:00 p.m. at Alterowitz Gymnasium.

For the Yellowjackets’ first-ever match in the Heartland Conference, they gave the crowd an entertaining match.  The stat lines for both teams were nearly identical.  MSU Billings finished with a slight edge in most categories: 63 to 62 for digs, .216 to .206 for attack percentage, 59 to 55 for assists, and eight to seven for blocks.  The only big statistical difference in the match was the Jackets’ nine to three advantage in service aces.

Despite the evenly matched teams and tight scores throughout the match, the Yellowjackets held the lead for much of the night.  After losing the first game, MSU Billings trailed just once in the second game (17-16) and once in the third game (4-3). 

St. Mary’s jumped to a quick 5-1 lead in the fourth game, but the Jackets battled back to tie the game at 13-13.  There were seven lead changes and six ties from that point with MSU Billings finally taking the lead for good at 23-22.  Taylor Faught (Fr., Billings, MT) served four straight points to give MSU Billings a 27-22 edge, and the Jackets held on for the 30-27 deciding game win.

Ali Watson (Jr., Calgary, Alberta) and Alicia Cazemier (So., Vauxhall, Alberta) led all players with 19 kills apiece.  Watson added 11 digs to finish with a double-double.  Cazemier posted a sizzling .405 attack percentage and also had a match-high five blocks.

Alexis Sandru (Jr., Twin Bridges, MT) knocked down 10 kills and picked up a match-high 19 digs.  Setter Natalie Bills (Jr., Provo, UT) handed out 55 assists, her second-highest total of the season.  Libero Nicole Kruse (So., Huntley, MT) had five of the Yellowjackets’ nine service aces, and Faught had three.  Jessica Bratton (Jr., Casper, WY) added eight kills, and Jessica Lechner (Fr., Huntley, MT) had five.

The Rattlers were led by double-digit kills from their three front line players.  Mallary Moehrig had 16 kills on a .400 attack percentage.  Anna Seals finished with 15 kills, and Maegan Lowry added 13.  Katy Migl and Valerie Teter each picked up 13 digs.  Courtney Matula handed out 52 assists.