Box Score
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BILLINGS, Mont. – Visiting Western Oregon University downed Montana State Billings 3-1 (18-25, 22-25, 25-23, 18-25) Thursday evening at Alterowitz Gymnasium. With the loss, the Yellowjackets fell to 3-18 on the year and 3-9 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. WOU improved to 10-7 on the year and 8-4 in conference play.
“It's looking better slowly,” MSUB head coach Steve Smith said. “I'm happy with some of what we have been seeing recently. I'm disappointed, however, in not seeing our good play in practice translate to games. We have made strides and tonight we played a lot better in game three. I am proud of how the team is working hard and continuing to improve.”
The Jackets were led by senior Jennifer Boe who had eight kills on the night. Junior Brooke Tolman had 27 assists, while freshman Adrienne Kelso tallied 18 digs and Boe chipped in 10. WOU was led by 12 kills from Krissi Kemper. Jorden Burrows had 33 assists and Corynn Kopra tallied 13 digs.
WOU jumped out to an early lead in the first set and never looked back. The Wolves built a 10-3 advantage, but the Yellowjackets rattled off five of the next six points to pull within 11-8. After a timeout by WOU, the Wolves swelled the lead to 18-10, but the Yellowjackets kept chipping away and cut it back to 20-15. Again, the Wolves had the answer built it back to eight at 23-15 and settled for a 25-18 win.
The second set was more of a back-and-forth affair, as the teams basically traded points early on. MSUB tied the set at 14, but the Wolves scored six of the next nine points for a 20-17 lead. The Jackets again continued to chip away and tied the match at 20 on back-to-back service aces from Boe. The Wolves scored five of the final seven points for a 25-22 win.
After the intermission, the Yellowjackets came back and played with more vigor. The third set was much like the second as the teams traded points. The set was tied at 20 when sophomore Jody Lutz tallied back-to-back service aces giving the Jackets a 22-20 lead. The Wolves tied it at 23, but after a Yellowjacket timeout, Tolman got a kill followed by a WOU miscue for a 25-23 win.
WOU came back in the fourth set and took the early lead, 3-0. The Wolves kept the Jackets at bay between 3-4 points most of the set, but the Yellowjackets had another run and closed within 13-11 on a service error.
From there, the Wolves built the lead to 19-13 and went on for a 25-18 win.
The Yellowjackets close the weekend with a 7 p.m. start Saturday versus Saint Martin's in Alterowitz Gymnasium.
