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BILLINGS, Mont. – After racing out to an early lead by capturing the first set, the Montana State University Billings volleyball team was unable to maintain pace, dropping the last three sets to fall 1-3 to the visiting Crusaders of Northwest Nazarene Saturday night inside Alterowitz Gymnasium.
 
MSUB is now 9-10 overall with a 3-7 mark in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action while NNU improves to 11-5 and 8-3 in league play.
 
“Other than that first set, we were very hit-or-miss,” said head coach Steve Smith. “We have some work ahead of us if we hope to survive on the road for our next few matches.”
 
The Yellowjackets claimed the first set 25-23 but failed to hold onto the momentum as they dropped the second and third sets 25-15 and 25-19. After falling behind early in the fourth set, the Jackets made a run at keeping the drive alive in the fourth set but eventually fell short 30-28.
 
Freshman Monica Grimsrud was a very bright spot for MSUB's offense as she recorded a match-high 17 kills and corralled in 11 digs for one of the Yellowjackets' two double-doubles. Senior setter Brooke Tolman also recorded a double-double as she had a match-high 44 assists to go along with 16 digs.
 
Chelsey Walter and Melissa Porter each added eight terminations but Walter controlled the Yellowjackets' front row as she tallied a match-high three solo blocks, assisting on two more.
 
Four Crusaders recorded double-digit kills in the four-set match with Kaitlyn Tuholski leading the charge with 14 kills and 19 assists. She and Michelle Terpstra, who had a triple-double with 10 kills, 22 assists and 17 digs, gave the Yellowjackets fits as they seamlessly switched between attacking and setting for each other throughout the match.
 
MSUB was able to hold NNU to a .141 hitting percentage, but was unable to get much offense going as the Yellowjackets hit just .095 as a team.
 
The Yellowjackets will head back out on the road next week with a three-match road swing. Smith and the Jackets will begin their trek with a GNAC match at Western Oregon on Thursday, Oct. 20. The last time the two programs met on Sept. 24, MSUB was able to edge out a 3-2 victory in Billings.