Box Score ELLENSBURG, Wash. – After trading leads in the first two sets, No. 23 Central Washington used some big points in the third set to gather momentum and take the match at home 25-23, 25-20, 25-12. MSU Billings pulled up some great digs and smart plays across the net, but the No. 23 Wildcats came up with the big points late in the match to earn the victory.
 
Backed by a solid .247 attack percentage, the Yellowjackets had 42 kills in the match and 38 total digs. Central Washington finished the match hitting .343 with 45 kills, 38 digs and a slight edge in blocks – 8.0 to MSUB's 5.0.

The loss drops MSU Billings to 9-7 on the season, 4-4 in the GNAC. With the win, No. 23 Central Washington moves to 11-5 overall and evens its record at 4-4 GNAC.
 
MSUB's Chelsey Walter led the match hitting .435 and putting down a team-high 13 kills.
 
Set one began with the Wildcats in the early lead. Down 5-3, MSUB setter Kyndal Williams put down an attack from a short set by Alaina Gentili. Two kills from outside hitter Ashlynn Ward gave the Yellowjackets the lead in the first set.
 
A big block at the net by Walter and Norris at 11-7, had CWU calling for the first timeout of the match. The Wildcats came back onto the court with five straight points before a kill by Walter would give the ball back to MSUB. An error and a kill by Linden Firethorne gave the lead back to the Wildcats 13-12 causing head coach Lisa Axel to call her first timeout of the match.
 
MSUB's Walter laid down a big kill up the middle to even the score at 13-13. The two teams continued to trade points. CWU began to pull away after a kill by Jordan Deming sent the Wildcats on a five-point run that ended with a kill by Monica Grimsrud. The Yellowjackets fought back, scoring four of their own points to take MSUB to within one, 20-19. MSUB would again fight hard, but the Wildcats ended up taking the first set 25-23.
 
Early in the second set, a kill by Gentili gave MSUB the lead 6-5. The Yellowjackets followed that up with three more points. CWU would fire back. An ace by CWU's Catie Fry tied the set at 10-10. A quick kill by Krista Norris sent the score MSUB's way. Another two hard-hit kills from the Wildcats' side of the net gave CWU the lead back at 13-11.
 
The two teams continued to keep the score close. CWU took the lead at 17-15 with a kill by Firethorne down the line. A quick set by Williams to Walter for a huge kill straight down the middle, then a kill by Williams herself on the next rally evened the score at 17-17.
 
Three successive points by the Wildcats gave Central Washington the lead again at 20-17 leading MSUB to use its first timeout. After the break, two errors by the Yellowjackets and another kill from Firethorne caused MSUB to call another timeout.
 
Down by five, 23-17, MSU Billings came back onto the court scoring three more points, before CWU's Deming scored the set clincher on a high arching kill that hit the back line to give Central Washington a two set lead.
 
Central Washington scored the first four points to open the third set. MSUB responded with a kill from Ward for the team's first point of the third set. After trading points, Central Washington put together a 4-2 run to open a lead up at 12-6.
 
After a MSUB timeout the Wildcats continued to add to their lead with another run, scoring five more points to MSUB's two. At 17-7, the Yellowjackets were forced to call their second timeout of the third set. A kill from Walter put MSUB back on the board, but a quick response from CWU's Firethorne gave the Wildcats back the ball.
 
This time Central Washington held onto the serve as the Wildcats put down three kills and put up two big blocks at the net to score the final five points of the match.
 
Firethorne finished the match with 14 kills while Fry led in the assist column, putting up a match-high 39. Deming ended the match putting down 10 kills while Kaely Kight led her team with 14 digs.
 
Eight Yellowjackets ended the night with a kill. On the balanced attack, Walter was the only player to contribute double-digits, Ward added eight, while Gentili put-down seven. MSUB's Haley Wells led all players with 15 digs in the match. Williams dished up 37 assists and senior Krista Norris brought up 10 digs.
 
NEXT UP: Montana State University Billings travels to Nampa, Idaho for a match against No. 18 Northwest Nazarene. First serve is set for 7 p.m. Live video and live stats will be available for the match online at msubsports.com.