Box Score

LISA AXEL POSTMATCH            GRIMSRUD AND ADAMS POSTMATCH

BILLINGS, Mont. – The Alaska-Anchorage volleyball team picked up a four-set road win at Montana State University Billings on Dig Pink Night in Alterowitz Gymnasium Saturday.

The Seawolves (12-5, 7-2 Great Northwest Athletic Conference) were led by a trio that finished with double-digit kills. Sarah Johnson led with 12 kills, while Julia Mackey and Jodi Huddleston added 11 and 10 respectively. Huddleston finished with a .292 hitting percentage. Kimya Jafroudi had 41 of UAA's 46 assists. Four Seawolves ended in double-digits with digs led by Siobhan Johansen's 15. Sarah Johnson added 13 digs, and Nikkie Viotto and Jafroudi both had 12.

Alaska-Anchorage now moves two matches ahead of MSUB in the conference standings for third place. Montana State Billings sits in fifth place, a half-match ahead of Seattle-Pacific, at the halfway point of the conference schedule. UAA won its fifth straight over MSU Billings. The Yellowjackets last beat Alaska-Anchorage in Billings in 2009.

“I thought we came out strong in the second and third set,” MSUB head coach Lisa Axel said. “We're just struggling right now with consistency. Our energy level is huge for us, and sometimes we just come out flat. So, right now we need to work on being consistent.”

The first set was close early, but a 6-6 score moved to 12-7 after a short run by the Seawolves capped by a Huddleston kill. UAA had its largest lead of the set at 24-17 after an attack error by MSU Billings. A service error by the Yellowjackets ended the set at 25-19.

The second set played almost identical to the first, but in favor of MSUB. Set 2 featured five ties, just as the first frame did. The Yellowjackets opened an 8-8 score to 12-9. Back-to-back attack errors by Alaska-Anchorage gave MSU Billings a 16-11 advantage. Kyndal Williams finished the set with an ace to give Montana State Billings a 25-19 win.

The Yellowjackets opened the third set with a 12-6 lead, but UAA responded with a 7-1 run to even the score. Five of the set's 11 ties came late in the frame, with the score tied at 23; Alaska-Anchorage used kills from Huddleston and Johnson to grab the set, 25-23.

After a 6-6 start to the fourth set, the Seawolves went on a 6-0 run to take a 12-6 lead. The Yellowjackets struggled to come close after that run. A kill by Monica Grimsrud cut the lead to 19-17, but that was as close as MSUB would get. Alaska-Anchorage closed the set by scoring the final three points to win, 25-19.

The Yellowjackets' (8-9, 5-4 GNAC) Grimsrud and Jody Lutz both had 12 kills. Erin Compton finished with a match-high 24 digs, and Williams totaled 32 assists. Grimsrud and Taylor Adams both finished with four blocks.

Montana State Billings has only one match on its schedule this week at Seattle Pacific (8-10, 5-4) next Saturday. The Yellowjackets and SPU have identical records in conference play, but MSUB swept the Falcons in Billings on Sept. 20. The match is scheduled for 7 p.m. Pacific Time, and will feature live video and stats on MSUBSports.com.