PHOENIX -- The Montana State University Billings volleyball squad earned a split Saturday at the final day of the Grand Canyon Invitational, defeating Colorado Christian (19-25, 25-21, 27-25, 25-22) before dropping a five set match to Western New Mexico (22-25, 25-22, 22-25, 25-21, 8-15).

 

The Yellowjackets finished the tournament with a 2-3 record and are now 6-3 on the year. Senior setter Brooke Tolman was voted to the all-tournament team for the second consecutive week.

 

“We had our ups and downs at this tournament,” said head coach Steve Smith. “I think we have a great idea of the things we need to work on and how to fix them, but we also need to continue to do the things that were working for us. Monica (Grimsrud) had a tremendous tournament as did Brooke, and it was nice to see Melissa (Porter) have some very strong games as well.”

 

Monica Grimsrud finished the day with 35 kills and a .217 hitting percentage to lead the Yellowjackets. Freshman Krista Norris completed the day with 22 kills and a team-high 32 digs, as Melissa Porter finished the day with 21 kills, 10 blocks and a .372 hitting percentage.

 

Tolman had 100 assists during the day, averaging 11.11 per set, and recorded 27 digs. The senior also had four services aces.

 

In the first match the Yellowjackets saw some of their best hitting percentages of the season as they Jackets hit .220 as a team and came up with six blocks. MSUB also had 49 kills and 53 digs in the match.

 

Grimsrud led the way in the match with 13 kills and a .250 hitting percentage, while Porter and Norris both had 10 kills apiece and Porter hitting .533. Tolman had 42 assists and a team-high 15 digs with Norris.

 

After a first set loss, MSUB was tied at 14-14 in the second set when Porter drove home a kill that gave the Jackets the lead for good. They would take advantage of the Cougars' miscues down the stretch to go on to the 25-21 victory and a .323 hitting percentage.

 

Set three saw the Jackets down by four at 18-22 late in the set when Norris began the comeback on a kill with an assist from Tolman. Five more points followed on three attacking errors by the Cougars and a pair of service aces from Tolman as the Jackets stretched the lead to close the set out.

 

The Yellowjackets did enough in the fourth set as they hit .186 and held the Cougars to .075 hitting. The final set was back and forth throughout until MSUB used small runs to open up their lead, closing out the match on an attacking error by CCU and a kill by freshman Chelsey Walter to end the match.

 

In the evening match the Yellowjackets maintained pace with the Mustangs throughout the evening, but ran out of gas in the final set, hitting -.037, while the Mustangs hit .333 in the final set.

 

Grimsrud again led the Jackets during the match with her 22 kills and also had a five digs. Norris came away with 12 kills and 17 digs, while Porter slammed 11 kills and had seven blocks to go with her .286 hitting percentage. Jody Lutz also recorded double figure kills with 10 during the match.

 

The Yellowjackets used solid hitting in the second set to bounce back from the first set loss. MSUB held a five point lead at 23-19 and withstood a barrage by the Mustangs at the end of the set, until WNMU made two errors to give the Jackets the win.

 

Set three saw the Jackets out hit the Mustangs, but fall by three thanks to a pair of attacking errors at the end of the set.

 

MSUB used a four point run late in set four, which included back to back kills from Grimsrud, to stretch out their lead and got help in closing the set with an attacking error on the WNMU.

 

The Yellowjackets will remain on the road next week as they embark on the conference schedule, opening the season at Northwest Nazarene on Thursday, Sept. 15, at 7 p.m. and then at Central Washington on Saturday, Sept. 17, also at 7 p.m.