Box Score BELLINGHAM, Wash. – After starting cold and losing the first set 25-13, MSU Billings fought back in sets two and three, but it wasn't to be. The Yellowjackets lost in straight sets to No. 10 Western Washington 25-13, 25-21, and 25-18.
 
MSUB's Monica Grimsrud finished the match with a team high 14 kills and one block. As a team the Yellowjackets were held to a .176 hitting percentage while No. 10 WWU finished the match hitting a season's best .381.
 
The loss drops MSU Billings to 10-10 on the season, and 5-7 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. No. 10 Western Washington University is now 16-4 and 9-2 in conference play.
 
No. 10 WWU had two big runs in the first set and couldn't be caught by MSU Billings. The Vikings had a run early in the first set and opened up a 15-9 point spread before MSUB called its first timeout. After the break, MSUB's Krista Norris hit a kill down the line, but a net call by the officials gave Western Washington the point.
 
The Vikings used another five-point run to tally their lead at 10, 20-10. A struggle of errors by both teams gave possession to Western Washington and a kill by Arielle Turner cross-court gave the Vikings the opening set by a score of 25-13.  
 
Set two was a much closer affair. At a 7-7 tie, an error by Western Washington gave MSUB the early lead. A few back and forth points by both teams and the score was again tied up at 14-all. Both the Vikings and the Yellowjackets again struggled with errors until two back-to-back attack errors by MSUB gave the lead to Western Washington 21-19 forcing an MSU Billings timeout.
 
Coming out of the break the Yellowjackets picked up the pace. Grimsrud had a great kill down the line and a well-placed ball by MSUB's setter Kyndal Williams took MSUB back to within two, 23-21.
 
Western Washington's coach Diane Flick called her first timeout of the set in order to regroup, and the Vikings responded with two kills by Rachel Roeder to win the second set 25-21.
 
Emerging from the break, MSU Billings showed great spirit and led for much of the final set.
 
The Yellowjackets took the opening five points of set three. After a kill from Chelsey Walter off a feed from Williams, MSUB went up 5-0 and Western Washington immediately called a timeout. MSU Billings kept up its level of play, but the Vikings came back in the middle of the set, going on a 7-3 run to even the score at 13-all.
 
The Vikings continued to push points, and some great work in the back row kept Western Washington up heading down the stretch. Another 9-2 run closed out the third set, and gave WWU the win over the Yellowjackets.
 
WWU outside hitter Roeder came up with a big game for the Vikings. The junior finished the match with 19 kills on a .531 hitting percentage. Chiming in with 12 kills and a team-high four blocks was Kayla Erickson. Western Washington ended the match with 47 kills and six blocks.
 
Across the three sets, the nation's leader in digs per set, WWU's Samantha Hutchinson, came up with 14 digs. Setter Kristina Tribley led all players with 41 assists.
 
MSU Billings had 35 total kills and 36 digs. Behind Grimsrud's 12, Krista Norris put down seven and Alaina Gentili added six kills at the net.
 
Libero Haley Wells led the Yellowjackets in the dig column with seven while Norris completed the match with six. Williams had 33 assists.
 
NEXT UP: MSU Billings heads to Simon Fraser University for a GNAC counter. The Yellowjackets face the Clan on Saturday, Oct. 25 at 7 p.m. PT. Live video and live stats will be available at msubsports.com.