BILLINGS, Mont. – MSU Billings is headed to Western Washington and Simon Fraser this week. The Yellowjackets are on a one match slide after dropping a hard-fought four set battle at home against Alaska Anchorage.
 
After winning the first set in a dramatic come-back effort, MSUB lost the next three sets to concede the victory to the Seawolves. The Yellowjackets did win their match against Alaska Fairbanks earlier in the week in straight sets. 
 
Against Alaska Fairbanks Monica Grimsrud led the Yellowjacket attack, hitting for .500 and ending the match with 14 kills. Junior Kyndal Williams finished with her sixth double-double of the season, scooping up 11 digs to go along with her 41 assists.
 
Chelsey Walter was the Yellowjackets' leading offensive threat in the match against Alaska Anchorage. Walter had 12 kills against the Seawolves.
 
Thursday, October 23 – 7 p.m. (PT) Carver Gym
Live stats/video: msubsports.com
#10 Western Washington University, Vikings
2014 Record: 15-4, 8-2 GNAC
Head Coach: Dianne Flick, 15^th season
2013 GNAC Finish: 1st (23-4, 16-2 GNAC)
 
The No. 10 Vikings from Western Washington are on a five-match winning streak. Last week the Vikings had one Great Northwest Athletic Conference match at Simon Fraser where the team defeated the Clan in four sets.
 
Senior libero Samantha Hutchinson continues to lead the conference and the nation in digs with a 7.30 average per set. The reigning Great Northwest Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year also has the most total digs in the nation with 540.
 
Kayla Erickson is No. 4 in the GNAC in hitting percentage with .287. The reigning 2013 GNAC Player of the Year is also No. 7 in kills per set with 3.19 and No. 8 in blocks per set with 0.99.
 
Redshirt-freshman Kristina Tribley is averaging 10.63 assists per set, which is No. 3 in the GNAC.
 
Last Match: This season MSUB beat the Vikings for the first time in its history. The Yellowjackets beat then No. 11 WWU in five sets at home on Sept. 27. MSUB: Sophomore Ashlynn Ward produced a new career-high of 19 kills. Grimsrud had 16 and Walter 14. Williams produced a match-high 55 assists while new career-highs were set in digs by Kimmy Kirk (27), Mataia Roderick (21) and Haley Wells (25). Western Washington: Kelsey Moore led all players with 20 kills. Hutchinson had 41 digs and Taylor Dillard contributed 52 assists.
 
The Series: MSU Billings is 1-17 all-time against Western Washington. The Yellowjackets' win in September was the first of the program's history.
 
Saturday, October 25 – 7 p.m. (PT) West Gym
Live stats/video: msubsports.com
Simon Fraser University, the Clan
2014 Record: 12-6, 6-4 GNAC
Head Coach: Gina Schmidt
2013 GNAC Finish: (11-13, 6-12 GNAC)
 
Although Simon Fraser lost its only match last week, the Clan are much improved from last season. SFU has already matched its total conference wins from last season, and for the first time in its history has a winning conference record a little over half-way through the season.
 
Senior Kelsey Robinson is No. 6 in the GNAC in kills per set with 3.25. At the net, Madeline Hait is putting up the second-best mark in the conference with 1.15 blocks per set. The senior middle blocker has a total of 53 this season.
 
Alison McKay is No. 4 in the GNAC in digs with 5.27 per set. McKay has been a solid presence in the back line for SFU this season. 
 
Last Match: This season Simon Fraser got the best of MSUB winning in a full five sets on Sept. 25. MSUB: Walter led all players with 15 terminations. Outside hitter Stormy Siemion added 11. Williams had a double-double with 45 assists and 12 digs. Wells led MSUB with 14 digs. The Clan: Robinson with 13 kills and Mackenzie Dunham with 10 were tops for SFU. McKay kept 29 balls from hitting the floor.
 
The Series: MSU Billings is 6-5 against SFU. The Yellowjackets are on a two-match slide against the Clan and are 2-3 on the road overall.
 
MSUB's Walter remains No. 1 in the GNAC in hitting percentage. The senior is holding steady with a .365 and has 469 kills so far on the season. Walter is also No. 8 in kills per set with 3.10.
 
Freshman Alaina Gentili continues to improve her numbers week-to-week. The middle blocker is now No. 9 in the conference in hitting percentage at .256. Gentili is also in the top-20 in blocks with 0.80 per set.
 
Setter Williams continues to be one of only four setters in the conference with an assist average above 10 per set. The junior is averaging 10.57 and is No. 4 in the league.
 
Libero Wells has a 4.31 dig per set average. Wells is also holding steady at No. 7 in the conference in digs.
 
"We are heading out on the road for three of our last four weekends," head coach Lisa Axel said. "The team is looking to really improve our record on the road and focus on one match at a time. We started to play with the intensity we have been striving for towards the end of the Anchorage match. We hope to build on that as we head into a tough two matches against Western Washington and Simon Fraser."
 
Montana State University Billings is set to play No. 10 Western Washington at 7 p.m. (PT) on Thursday, Oct. 23. The Yellowjackets will then head north to face the Clan of Simon Fraser University. That match is slated for Saturday, Oct. 25 at 7 p.m. (PT).
 
Live video and live stats for both of those matches will be available at msubsports.com.
 

VOLLEYBALL	CONF	PCT	OVERALL	PCT	HOME	AWAY	NEUTRAL	STREAK
Northwest Nazarene	10-1	.909	17-2	.895	7-0	4-2	6-0	W4
Alaska Anchorage	10-1	.909	16-3	.842	8-1	6-1	2-1	W6
Western Washington	8-2	.800	15-4	.789	5-1	4-2	6-1	W5
Central Washington	7-4	.636	14-5	.737	9-1	3-3	2-1	W4
Simon Fraser	6-4	.600	12-6	.667	6-3	4-2	2-1	L1
Seattle Pacific	5-6	.455	11-8	.579	6-4	3-3	2-1	W1
Montana State Billings	5-6	.455	10-9	.526	8-3	1-4	1-2	L1
Alaska	2-9	.182	2-17	.105	2-6	0-9	0-2	L3
Saint Martin's	1-10	.091	4-18	.182	1-6	1-7	2-5	L6
Western Oregon	0-11	.000	2-17	.105	0-5	2-6	0-6	L11