Lady Jackets’ Streak at 10 (9/29/06)
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BILLINGS, MT – Despite another slow start, the Montana State-Billings volleyball team swept Texas A&M-International for the Jackets’ school record tenth-straight win.  The Jackets fell behind early in the first game but rallied to go on to win 30-28, 30-27, 30-16.  MSU Billings, ranked second in the most recent NCAA Southwest Region poll, improved to 14-3 overall.  Texas A&M-International fell to 12-4.

The Dustdevils started the match fast, building leads as large as eight midway through the first game.  The Yellowjackets didn’t begin to battle back until they trailed 17-9.  Back to back kills by Jessica Lechner (Pompeys Pillar, MT) pulled the Yellowjackets to within five at 18-13.  The deficit remained around five until MSUB went on a four-point run late in the game to get within a point at 26-25.  The Jackets withstood one more push by the Dustdevils before Natalie Bills (Provo, UT) served up the final four points of the game.

“For some reason we come out slow,” said Lechner of the Jackets’ slow starts.  “I’m not sure why that is, but we come together in the end to get it done.  We just talk to each other (to get things turned around).  I think if none of us said anything, it would keep going bad, but we talk each other through it and play as a team.”

MSU Billings controlled the match from that point.  Even though the score of the second game ended close, the Yellowjackets led by as many as a dozen.  The Dustdevils made a late run to close the gap but would not get close again.  MSUB cruised through the final game for the sweep.  It was the sixth 3-0 sweep in the ten-match winning streak.

The Yellowjackets hit .187 as a team, holding the Dustdevils to a .045 attack percentage.  Lechner had eight kills on 11 attempts with just a single error for a .636 attack percentage.  Senior Alexis Sandru (Twin Bridges, MT) was nearly perfect, knocking down six kills on nine attempts without an error.

The Jackets’ Ali Watson (Calgary, AB) led all players with 12 kills and 16 digs.  Jessica Bratton (Casper, WY) had seven kills and six digs.  Alicia Cazemier (Vauxhall, AB) knocked down five kills and was in on a match-high six blocks.  The Yellowjackets out-blocked TAMIU 10-5.  Cazemier had five block assists and one solo block.  The solo block pulled her to within one of the career school record of 119.

The Dustdevils were led by Juliana Gusmao’s 11 kills.  Michelle Castaneda, Eliza Cezario and Nicole Gipson each had nine kills.  Madison Mojica’s eight digs led the Dustdevil defense.

Both teams recorded seven service aces in the match.  The Jackets’ Bills and Nicole Kruse (Huntley, MT) each had three as did the Dustdevils’ Mojica.  Bills also handed out 31 assists.  TAMIU’s Desiree Arredondo posted a match-high 33 assists.

“I think we’re playing really well together,” Lechner said of the Jackets’ midseason form.  “We’re serving really well, playing defense, we’re blocking, and we’re hitting the ball well.  I think we need to improve on our serve receive a little bit.  Sometimes that’s a little shaky and we get points scored on us, but once the intensity comes up we start playing like we can.”

The Yellowjackets and Dustdevils will meet again on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. at Alterowitz Gym.  It will be the final home match for MSU Billings until October 13.