Box Score
Axel Interview
Grimsrud Interview

BILLINGS, Mont. – The Montana State University Billings' Volleyball team won the battle over Central Washington University on Thursday 24-26, 26-24, 20-25, 25-21, and 18-16.
 
It was the fourth five-set match this season for the Yellowjackets, and the first time they have pulled out the victory in a match that went the distance.
 
Montana State University Billings (5-17, 2-11 Great Northwest Athletic Conference) has struggled this season with closing out matches, but not in the win tonight.  Four players for MSU Billings were in double-digits for kills, and there were almost 100 digs by the Yellowjackets in a match that featured 32 tie scores and 13 lead changes.
 
MSU Billings took the edge in kills with 81-61 with a .207 attack average to CWU's .182.
 
Every set was a battle and none more so than the fourth set, as MSUB was down 10-19 and on the verge of losing control of the set and ultimately losing the match, when a kill by Monica Grimsrud would spark a 7 point climb back into the game where the Yellowjackets would eventually take control, winning the set 25-21 and sending the match into a fifth and deciding set. 
 
The fifth set was another tight set as neither team would lead by more than three points and both teams would have match points; but it was MSU Billings who would stay together and at 14-14 play excellent defense to take the set at 16-14.
 
Central Washington (12-10, 8-6 GNAC) would also put up some big numbers on the night.  Three players had double digits in kills with Linden Firethorne (.336 attack average) leading the Wildcats with 16.  Kaitlin Quirk had 12 and Rachel Hanses had 10.
 
Three players for CWU would also have double-digits in digs.  Kaely Kight led the team with 16, while Zoe Iida had 13 and Lauren Herseth had 10.  Catie Fry had a big night in assists; she had 46 of the 60 for the team.
 
For the Yellowjackets Monica Grimsrud would have an outstanding 30 kills for the match on a .286 attack average.  This is a season best for her, her previous being 22 against Cal-State Stanislaus back on September 13,  and ties her for sixth all-time at MSUB.
 
Stormy Siemion had her fifth double-double in a row, posting 15 kills and a team-high 36 digs.  Ashlynn Ward would add 18 kills (.213 attack average), which is a new season and career-high for her.  Her previous best was 16 last week against Rocky Mountain College.
 
Chelsey Walter added 14 kills in the match and was in on 6 block assists.  This is a new season-high for her, and a team-high for the match.
 
Kyndal Williams had 65 of the 77 assists for the Yellowjackets.  This is a new career-high for her (63 last week against Seattle Pacific) and is eighth best in MSU Billings history.  She also had a double-double in the match – she contributed 13 digs.
 
Three players for Montana State University Billings posted double-digits in digs.  Besides Siemion and Williams, Sydney Oberstein came in with 21 digs for the Jackets.  This is also a new season-high for her, she previously had 18 twice in earlier matches. She also had 7 assists on the night, second highest on the team.
 
Next up for the Montana State University Billings Volleyball team is another conference match.  They will face Northwest Nazarene at 8 PM on Saturday November 9.  The match will start an hour later than its usual start time of 7 PM due to a basketball tournament MSUB is hosting earlier in the afternoon.  Live video and live stats can be found at MSUSports.com

Short Box Score (Match)
                              2013 MSUB Volleyball
                   CWU vs MSU Billings (Nov 07, 2013 at MSUB)

  MSU Billings def. CWU 24-26,26-24,20-25,25-21,18-16

  CWU (12-10, 8-6 GNAC) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Firethorne,Linden 15-0-3;
  Quirk,Kaitlin 12-1-6; Hanses,Rachel 10-0-1; Smith,Erin 9-0-5;
  Dolan,Emmy 8-0-4; Fry,Catie 4-1-3; Milner,Lindsey 1-1-1; Jones,Kiah
  1-0-0; Iida,Zoe 0-1-0; Kight,Kaely 0-1-0; Totals 60-5-15.0. (Assists)
  - Fry,Catie 46. (Dig leaders) - Kight,Kaely 16; Iida,Zoe 13;
  Herseth,Lauren 10; Milner,Lindsey 9; Fry,Catie 8

  MSU Billings (4-17, 2-11 GNAC) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Grimsrud,Monica
  30-0-2; Ward,Ashlynn 18-0-4; Siemion,Stormy 15-0-0; Walter,Chelsey
  14-0-8; Williams,Kyndal 2-0-3; Oberstein,Sydney 1-0-0; Anderson,Julia
  1-0-1; Kirk,Kimmy 0-1-0; Findon,Kierney 0-1-0; Ostermiller,Mikara
  0-0-1; Totals 81-2-11.0. (Assists) - Williams,Kyndal 65. (Dig leaders)
  - Siemion,Stormy 36; Oberstein,Sydney 21; Williams,Kyndal 13

  Site: MSUB (Alterowitz Gymnasium)
  Date: Nov 07, 2013   Attend: 105   Time: 2:30