NAMPA, Idaho – After dropping the first two sets MSU Billings rebounded to take set three, but got stalled in set four to lose the match 25-17, 25-18, 23-25, and 25-13.
 
Freshman Alaina Gentili set a new career-high in kills as she led MSUB with 14. Chelsey Walter was second with 12 and Kyndal Williams ended the match with 41 assists as the Yellowjackets dropped a tough four-set battle at No. 18 Northwest Nazarene.
 
With the loss MSU Billings drops to 9-8 and 4-5 in the GNAC. No. 18 Northwest Nazarene moves to 15-2 and 8-1, GNAC.
 
The first three sets were close. In set three MSU Billings won the first four points before the No. 18 Crusaders made it onto the board. After starting slow, NNU battled back to even the score at seven. From there both teams traded points. At 16-14, the Yellowjackets opened up a lead when two kills by Walter and an error by NNU gave MSUB a 20-15 lead.
 
The No. 18 Crusaders pulled back to within two, 23-21, when Michelle Terpstra laid down a kill from Elayna Rice. Another kill from Gentili and one from Andrea Bowers gave the Yellowjackets set three and forced a set four.
 
Northwest Nazarene took control in set four. The No. 18 Crusaders used runs of 6-1 and 9-2 to dominate set four.
 
Rice finished the match with a team-high 13 kills. Andrea Terpstra had 10. The Crusaders were dominant at the net as the team finished the match with 19.0 total blocks. Terpstra had eight, while Madi Farrell led the match with 10.
 
The Yellowjackets ended the match with 6.0 blocks. Gentili, Walter, and Bowers all had three block assists.
 
On defense, libero Haley Wells had 15 digs for MSUB. Junior setter Williams had a double-double as along with her 41 assists, she scooped up 13 digs.
 
NEXT UP: The Yellowjackets return home. Montana State University Billings hosts Alaska Fairbanks on Thursday, Oct. 16. That match is slated to begin at 7 p.m.