Jackets Extend Win Streak to Nine (9/23/06)
Box Score
Game Photos
Coach Matavao post game audio

BILLINGS, MT – Four players recorded double-digit kills to lift the Montana State-Billings volleyball team to its ninth-straight victory Saturday afternoon.  The Yellowjackets dispatched Dallas Baptist in four games, 30-22, 26-30, 30-18, 30-24.  It was the Jackets’ second win over the Patriots in as many days with both teams opening the Heartland Conference schedule on Friday.

MSUB improved its overall record to 13-3 and its conference mark to 2-0.  Dallas Baptist fell to 5-13, 0-2.  The top four teams in the Heartland Conference during the regular season qualify for the conference championship tournament, which MSU Billings will host on November 3 and 4.  The champion of the conference tournament and not the regular season receives the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

“It’s crucial for us to start off strong (in the conference),” said Yellowjacket junior Alicia Cazemier.  “Regional rankings are coming out soon, so we want to be high in that.  If we can get off to a good start here at home it will be big.”

Following a quick 3-0 sweep on Friday night, the Yellowjackets had a little tougher time with the early Saturday afternoon game.  It took awhile to get the wheels rolling, hitting just .077 as a team in the first game and .178 in the second.  MSUB bounced back from the loss in game two to post team attack percentages over .200 in the final two games of the match.

The Yellowjacket defense carried the day while the offense was finding its footing.  The Jackets had 16 total team blocks in the match, led by 10 from Cazemier (Vauxhall, AB).  Ali Watson (Calgary, AB) and Jessica Lechner (Huntley, MT) were each in on five blocks, and Jessica Bratton (Casper, WY) had four.

Cazemier led the Yellowjackets with 16 kills on a .286 attack percentage.  Watson doubled up with 14 kills and 15 digs.  She also had a match-high four service aces.  Lechner added a dozen kills, and Bratton had 10.  Nicole Kruse (Huntley, MT) added 13 digs, and Alexis Sandru (Twin Bridges, MT) picked up 10.  Setter Natalie Bills (Provo, UT) finished with 47 assists, eight digs, and three blocks.

The Patriots were led by 17 kills and six blocks from Brandi Moss.  Jenny Pry added 14 kills and two aces.  Vickie Mundell handed out a team-high 25 assists.

The Yellowjackets will host Texas A&M-International for a pair of matches next Friday and Saturday.  The Dustdevils are a provisional member of NCAA Division II and the Heartland Conference.  The two matches will not count in the conference standings.

“We could improve in some areas,” said Cazemier of the Jackets’ midseason play.  “But for the most part the defense is playing awesome, and our offense is great.  We’re 13-3 now; that’s a good start.”