BILLINGS, Mont. – After dropping four straight matches, MSU Billings rebounded last week with a big straight-set win on the road against Seattle Pacific. This week the team faces a much bigger test as the No. 11 team in the nation and a previously-ranked team come to Alterowitz for the last two home matches of 2014.
 
"We are excited for the opportunity to play two very good teams that have been ranked this year in the AVCA coaches' poll," head coach Lisa Axel said. "The team really battled hard this past weekend on the road and we are looking to bring that style of play back to our gym."
 
Montana State University Billings used some excellent skills at the net and solid passing and defense to stifle the Falcons last week in Seattle. Freshman middle blocker Alaina Gentili connected for a match-high nine kills and five blocks. Five Yellowjackets had five or more kills as MSUB used a balanced attack to defeat SPU at home.

With the win last Saturday, the Yellowjackets are now 11-12 overall and 6-8 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.

Freshman Haley Wells led the defense with 17 digs on the night and senior Krista Norris contributed seven kills and 11 digs.
 
Thursday, November 6 – 7 p.m. Alterowitz Gymnasium
Parents' Night
Live stats/video: msubsports.com
#11 Northwest Nazarene Crusaders
2014 Record: 21-2, 14-1 GNAC
Head Coach: Doug English
2013 GNAC Finish: 18-6, 14-4 GNAC
 
No. 11 Northwest Nazarene jumped four spots in the polls this week from No. 15 to 11. The Crusaders are sitting atop the conference standings with a 21-2 overall record and are 14-1 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.
 
Since dropping a match against then No. 11 Western Washington on Oct. 4, the Crusaders have won eight consecutive matches, including a straight-set victory on the road against No. 2 in the GNAC Alaska Anchorage in Anchorage last Saturday.
 
Elayna Rice and Andrea Terpstra are leading the No. 11 Crusaders in kills per set with 2.88 and 2.85 respectively. Rice is the only player in the GNAC to be ranked in both kills (No. 14) and digs (No. 11 with 3.32 per set.)
 
Terpstra is also leading the GNAC in blocks per set with 1.17. Michelle Terpstra is No. 2 in the GNAC in assists per set with 10.73 and No. 14 in digs with 2.94.
 
Libero Taylor Roberts is No. 2 in the GNAC with digs. The senior is averaging 5.86 per set.
 
As a team Northwest Nazarene is leading the conference in opponent hitting percentage (.139), assists (12.57), kills (13.59), and blocks (2.71). The team is also tied with Central Washington in overall team hitting percentage at .224.
 
Last Match: Northwest Nazarene beat MSU Billings 3-1 earlier in the season. MSUB: Gentili had a match-high 14 kills for the Yellowjackets. Walter had 12 kills and three blocks at the net. Kyndal Williams contributed 41 assists with 13 digs. Northwest Nazarene: Rice combined for 13 kills and 10 digs. Andrea Terpstra had 10 kills while Michelle Terpstra had 37 assists and 11 digs. Roberts provided 22 digs for the Crusaders.
 
The Series: MSU Billings is 5-15 all-time against Northwest Nazarene. The Yellowjackets are 2-6 at home, with the team's last win coming at home in 2012.
 
Saturday, November 8 – 7 p.m. Alterowitz Gymnasium
Senior Night
Live stats/video: msubsports.com
Central Washington Wildcats
2014 Record: 17-6, 10-5 GNAC
Head Coach: Mario Andaya
2013 GNAC Finish: 15-12, 11-7 GNAC
 
Central Washington is on a three-match win streak. Last week CWU won matches against Simon Fraser and Western Washington. The Wildcats have been ranked as high as No. 13 in the nation this year, but this week are out of the top-25.
 
Linden Firethorne is No. 3 in the GNAC in kills per set with 3.65. The former GNAC Player of the Week is also No. 15 in hitting percentage with .241 percent.
 
Catie Fry is No. 3 in assists in the GNAC with 10.73. At the net, Kaitlin Quirk has 1.11 blocks and is No. 3 in the conference. Quirk was selected as last week's GNAC Offensive Player of the Week. Also No. 3 in the conference is libero Kaely Kight who is averaging 5.39 digs per set.
 
Last Match: Central Washington beat MSUB 3-0 last time the two teams met. MSUB: Walter was the only Yellowjacket with kills in the double-digits; she finished with 13. Williams completed 37 assists and Wells came up with 15 digs. Central Washington: Firethorne hit .429 while putting down 14 kills. Jordan Deming hit .444 and struck 10 kills for the Wildcats. Fry had 39 assists while Kight pulled up 14 digs.
 
The Series: MSUB is 4-14 against Central Washington. Like its record against Northwest Nazarene, Central Washington is 2-6 at home and the last win for the Yellowjackets was at home in 2012.
 
Montana State University Billings' Chelsey Walter continues to top the GNAC in hitting percentage at .337. The senior is also No. 11 in kills with 2.97 per set.
 
Senior Monica Grimsrud is No. 12 in the conference with 2.94 kills per set.
 
Freshman middle blocker Gentili is No. 14 in hitting percentage in the GNAC at .245. She is also ranked No. 18 in blocks with .79 per set.
 
Also in the top-10 in the conference for MSUB is setter Williams who is ranked No. 4 in assists with 10.41 per set and libero Wells at No. 7 in digs with 4.28 per set.
 
The graduating trio for MSU Billings includes outside/middle hitter Chelsey Walter and outside hitters Monica Grimsrud and Krista Norris. All three student-athletes competed all four years for MSU Billings. A small ceremony will be conducted before Saturday's match to honor the three players.
 
"The team is looking forward to one last weekend at home," Axel said. "It is always nice to be able to honor our parents and our seniors before our final two home matches." 
 

OLLEYBALL	CONF	PCT	OVERALL	PCT	HOME	AWAY	NEUTRAL	STREAK
Northwest Nazarene	14-1	.933	21-2	.913	9-0	6-2	6-0	W8
Alaska Anchorage	13-2	.867	19-4	.826	9-2	8-1	2-1	W2
Western Washington	10-4	.714	17-6	.739	7-1	4-4	6-1	L2
Central Washington	10-5	.667	17-6	.739	11-1	4-4	2-1	W3
Simon Fraser	8-6	.571	14-8	.636	8-3	4-4	2-1	L2
Montana State Billings	6-8	.429	11-12	.478	8-4	2-6	1-2	W1
Seattle Pacific	5-9	.357	11-11	.500	6-5	3-5	2-1	L3
Alaska	3-12	.200	3-20	.1306	2-8	1-10	0-2	L1
Western Oregon	2-12	.143	4-18	.182	1-6	3-6	0-6	W1
Saint Martin's	1-13	.071	4-22	.154	1-9	1-8	2-5	L10