Box Score BILLINGS, Mont. – Despite trailing the second set 20-17, the Central Washington volleyball team rallied for the win and defeated Montana State University Billings in three sets 25-17, 25-22 and 25-18 Saturday night in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play at Alterowitz Gym.
 
The Yellowjackets honored their three graduating seniors before the game, paying tribute to Monica Grimsrud, Krista Norris and Chelsey Walter during a pregame ceremony. The match represented the final career home contest for the three four-year MSUB lettermen.
 
Central Washington (19-6, 12-5 GNAC) was led by Linden Firethorne who had a match-high 21 kills against just five errors for a hitting percentage of .400. Kaely Kight had 19 digs to lead all players, and Lindsey Milner was close behind with 14. Setter Catie Fry led the way with 42 assists on the night, and also had a team-best five block assists.
 
The Wildcats combined for 9.0 blocks on the match, compared with 6.0 by the Yellowjackets. CWU hit .265 as a team and MSUB held a mark of .119.
 
For MSUB (11-14, 6-10 GNAC), senior Krista Norris had a huge game with 12 kills, seven digs and a block. Kimmy Kirk had a team-best 16 digs, and Kyndal Williams served up 32 assists on the night. Freshman Alaina Gentili totaled eight kills, and led her team with three block assists.
 
"All of our seniors went out and played with that fire and passion to go out and make sure that their last game here was a special one," said MSUB head coach Lisa Axel. "Krista Norris stepped up on the outside and took some huge swings. We were able to use her in the front row and the back row, and she really was our steadying force tonight.
 
"Kimmy Kirk also came in at libero in the third set and just really upped our defense on our side," Axel continued. "She got us started strong in the third set but we just couldn't hold on towards the end."
 
The Wildcats won four of the first five points, but MSUB rallied back as the first set moved even at 5-5. A diving dig by Haley Wells set up a kill chance for Chelsey Walter, and she guided the ball deep into the corner where no Wildcat could reach it for a point. CWU responded to take the next chance however, as the game remained even early at 7-7.
 
Taking command midway through the first, the Wildcats put together a rally and a 19-12 lead. A put-back block by Firethorne furthered the spread to 22-13, and the junior took the next point as well with a kill.
 
The second set started similar to the first, and the 'Jackets won three points in-a-row to break a 5-5 tie and take a three-point lead. MSUB kept the momentum rolling, and a dual block by Ashlynn Ward and Gentili made the score 13-9 and forced CWU head coach Mario Andaya to burn a timeout.
 
Ahead 20-17, Walter and Williams combined for a block to keep the lead in the hands of the Yellowjackets. CWU battled back however, winning the next three points to move within one at 21-20. The Wildcats kept their own rally going, pulling back momentum with the 25-22 second-set win.
 
A Gentili kill got the third set started for MSUB, which won the next two points as well to take an early 3-0 lead.
 
Reading the MSUB defense well, Fry pushed home a kill to give the Wildcats their first lead of the third set, 12-11. The point was the first of a three-point rally by CWU, and a dual block by Julie Hulbert and Fry made the score 14-11 and pushed Axel to burn a timeout.
 
Firethorne slammed down a loud kill, and Jordan Deming and Hulbert combined for a block that made the score 18-13 in favor of the 'Cats. CWU refused to allow an inch of breathing room for MSUB the rest of the way, finishing off the third set for the match victory.
 
AHEAD: The Yellowjackets close their season next weekend with a road trip against Saint Martin's and Western Oregon. MSUB faces SMU on Nov. 13 at 8 p.m. Mountain, and closes the season on Nov. 15 against WOU also with an 8 p.m. start.
 
"We want to make sure we finish the season strong, and do everything we can to play with that consistency," Axel said. "It is never easy on the road in this conference as every team is strong. It is going to take a complete team effort to challenge Saint Martin's and Western Oregon."