Box Score SEATTLE – Freshman
Alaina Gentili came up with a team-high nine kills and five total blocks at the net to lead MSU Billings to a straight-set win 25-23, 25-13, and 25-19 over Seattle Pacific.
Montana State University Billings came up solid at the net on Saturday in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference volleyball match against Seattle Pacific University. The win stops a four-match losing streak by the Yellowjackets on the season and a four-match losing streak to SPU overall.
With the win MSUB is now 11-12 on the season and 6-8 in the GNAC. The loss drops Seattle Pacific to 11-11 and 5-9 in the GNAC.
Two blocks by MSUB's Gentili opened up the first set. MSU Billings followed that up with an early 11-7 lead. SPU countered and took the advantage at 21-20. The Yellowjacket used three consecutive points by Gentili again and a kill from
Ashlynn Ward for a set-point opportunity. Seattle Pacific's Madi Cavell took a big swing at the net for the Falcons, but MSU Billings came up with the point and took a 1-0 lead heading into set two.
The Yellowjackets opened up a lead of 10-5 in the first third of set two. MSUB used runs of 7-3 and 6-3 to take control of the middle set. Two big kills by
Chelsey Walter in the middle of the frame gave MSUB the advantage at 20-9. The Falcons fought for two points getting a kill from Jessica Miller and a block at the net, but it was a short rebound. MSU Billings finished set two on a block by
Kyndal Williams and Gentili to take a 2-0 lead.
Monica Grimsrud pounded down a kill on the line for the first kill of set three for the Yellowjackets. MSUB used some good defense to keep the team in the early going of set three. The longest rally of the match game in set three when MSUB ended the point on a kill by Walter off a backset from Williams.
The Yellowjackets never relinquished the lead off of that and went on to take a 20-12 lead before SPU burned a second timeout to try and regroup. Miller came up with a kill for the Falcons, but a service error gave MSU Billings the side out. An error from the Yellowjackets allowed Seattle Pacific one more opportunity and the Falcons rattled off three more points before MSUB finished the match on two solid kills from Ward and Genitili.
MSUB had 38 kills in the match to SPU's 25. The Yellowjackets out-blocked the Falcons 10-5 at the net.
Walter led with team with a .333 hitting percentage and had eight kills and three blocks at the net.
Krista Norris finished with seven terminations while Grimsrud and Ward both had six in the match.
Libero
Haley Wells had a match-high 17 digs for MSUB. Norris had a solid all-around match for the Yellowjackets, the senior scooped up 11 digs to go along with her seven kills.
Kyndal Williams finished with 30 assists.
Miller led SPU with eight kills for the Falcons. Seattle Pacific was held to a season low .008 hitting percentage by MSUB. Kendal Carver had 14 assists for the team while Breanne Wiekamp finished with 12 digs.
Montana State University Billings had previously dropped the last four matches to the Falcons. The Yellowjackets hadn't won on the road against SPU since 2009.
NEXT UP: MSU Billings hosts nationally-ranked Central Washington and Northwest Nazarene next Thursday and Saturday.
