Box Score

SAN DIEGO – After losing five of their last six opening-season matches, the Montana State University Billings' volleyball team began its 2013 season with a four-set victory over Cal State-Stanislaus. The Yellowjackets grabbed the first two hard-fought sets en route to the win in the second match of the Seaside Invitational.

The Yellowjackets' (1-0) Kyndal Williams began her sophomore season with her second 50-assist match. She tallied 52 assists, an average of 13 per set. The Helena, Mont. native, had 16 assists in the opening set. Monica Grimsrud continued her double-double streak with 20 kills and 12 digs. The junior ended last season with three straight double-doubles. She had a total of five in 2012. It was her sixth career 20-kill match. Grimsrud hit .439 in the match.

Sydney Oberstein and Kierney Findon, playing in her first collegiate contest, both added 12 digs. Kimmy Kirk also had 10 digs in her collegiate debut. Chelsey Walter and Ashlynn Ward chipped in 16 and 13 kills. Williams and Taylor Adams both had three total blocks. Williams, Grimsrud and Kirk each had a pair of service aces.

Montana State Billings finished with a .333 hitting percentage, compared to the Warriors' .239. MSUB had a 59-43 assist advantage and a 65-61 edge in digs. At the net, MSU Billings had 6.5 team blocks, while Cal State-Stanislaus totaled four.

In a match that featured 10 ties and four lead changes, the Yellowjackets opened the match with a thrilling 27-25 win in set one. CSUS led for the majority of the set, with its largest lead at four points. Cal State-Stanislaus had a 17-14 lead when the Yellowjackets made a 7-0 run. Montana State Billings had set-point at 24-20, but the Warriors rallied for four straight points. MSU Billings was able to hold off CSUS and take the set courtesy of a Stormy Siemion kill followed by a Warrior attack error.

The second set began much like the first with Cal State-Stanislaus leading. The Warriors built a 10-5 advantage, but MSUB tied the score at 13. Adams capped off a 7-1 run with a kill and gave the Yellowjackets a 17-14 lead. MSU Billings would not surrender the lead, in a set when they hit .324.

The Warriors (0-1) controlled most of the third set, building its largest lead again at 10-5. MSUB only led 12-11 in the set, but never fell behind more than five points, including the final 25-20 score. The Yellowjackets hit a match-low .189 in the set, compared to Cal State-Stanislaus' .237.

Montana State Billings bounced back in the fourth set hitting .351, and holding the Warriors to a match-low .074. The Yellowjackets jumped out to a 7-1 lead and never looked back. MSU Billings used many runs in the set, including a five straight points that stretched a 15-7 advantage to 20-7. MSUB coasted to the 25-11 victory.

Cal State-Stanislaus was led by Christianna Knutson and Paige Walker. The duo both finished with 11 kills, while Taylor Massengale added 10. Hannah Green had a team-high 42 assists. Sarah Crowl and Crystal Tillet combined for 26 digs.

The Yellowjackets return to the Golden Gymnasium to face the host of the tournament, Point Loma University, at 7 p.m. Pacific Time. Live stats and video from the tournament are available on MSUBSports.com.

MSUB – CAL STATE-STANISLAUS POST MATCH NOTES
* The Yellowjackets are now 17-13 in season-opening matches since 1984.
* This is only the second time in last seven years MSUB opened with a win.
* The Yellowjackets are now also 26-19 on opening day since 1984.
* Montana State Billings returned to California for the first time since 2008.
* MSUB is 6-16 in the Golden State since 1984.
* The Yellowjackets snapped an eight loss losing streak in California.
* The last MSU Billings' victory in California before Friday was a five-set win over Christian Heritage on Sept. 5, 1998.
* Kyndal Williams 52-assist mark was her second 50-assist match and her highest total since she had 58 at Central Washington on Oct. 25, 2012.
* Monica Grimsrud had her fourth consecutive double-double performance and sixth career 20-kill performance.
* It was the second all-time meeting between the schools. The first was a Cal State-Stanislaus sweep at the Seawolf Spike in 2008.
* The teams will meet again in seven days at the Seawolf Spike in Rohnert Park, Calif.

MSU Billings def. CSU Stanislaus 27-25,25-23,20-25,25-11

MSU Billings (1-0) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Grimsrud,Monica
20-2-2; Walter,Chelsey 16-1-2; Ward,Ashlynn 13-0-2; Siemion,Stormy
9-0-0; Williams,Kyndal 4-2-3; Adams,Taylor 3-0-3; Ostermiller,Mikara
1-0-0; Kirk,Kimmy 0-2-0; Oberstein,Sydney 0-1-0; Findon,Kierney 0-1-0;
Totals 66-9-6.5. (Assists) - Williams,Kyndal 52. (Dig leaders) -
Findon,Kierney 12; Oberstein,Sydney 12; Grimsrud,Monica 12; Kirk,Kimmy
10; Williams,Kyndal 9

CSU Stanislaus (0-1) (Kills-aces-blocks) - WALKER, Paige
11-0-2; KNUTSON, Christianna 11-0-2; MASSENGALE, Taylor 10-0-1;
EHRLICH, Blair 9-4-0; HARRIS, Jordan 8-0-2; TILLETT, Crystal 0-1-0;
Totals 49-5-4.0. (Assists) - GREEN, Hannah 42. (Dig leaders) - CROWL,
Sarah 15; TILLETT, Crystal 11; WALKER, Paige 9; KNUTSON, Christianna
8; GREEN, Hannah 8

Site: San Diego, CA (Golden Gymnasium)
Date: Sep 06, 2013   Attend: 55   Time: 1:50
Referees: Summer Vicknair, John Pedersen, Schmidt, Donaldson
Point Loma Seaside Invitational