Box Score Box Score

Senior MH/OH Chelsey Walter came up with a new career-high of 19 kills, but MSUB couldn't contain the Sunbirds long enough to gain the upper hand on the second day of tournament competition.
 
SAN RAFAEL, Calif. – MSU Billings came back several times during the match, but couldn't come up with enough points as the Yellowjackets fell to Fresno Pacific 12-25, 25-23, 19-25, and 25-27 on the middle day of the PacWest/GNAC tournament.
 
Montana State University Billings (5-2) was out-hit 45-65, and was limited to a .158 overall attack percentage, as Fresno also held the advantage at the net 11.0 blocks to 4.0.  Fresno Pacific won its second match of the tournament defeating MSUB in four sets on Day 2 at the PacWest/GNAC cross-over tournament.
 
Down a set, MSUB came storming back in set two to tie the match at 1-1. Tied at 21 in set two, MSUB freshman libero Haley Wells came up with two service aces to give MSU Billings the 23-21 advantage.
 
After a Fresno Pacific University (4-3) timeout, Kimmy Kirk managed two great saves, and Walter pounded down a kill to give the Yellowjackets match point. Off a short set, Ashlynn Ward laid down a big kill in the middle of the court to send the match to a third set.
 
Down early, MSUB had to stay consistent when freshman Alaina Gentili set up a middle block to tie the match at 9-9. FPU began to pull away as Rupia Inck put away several kills down the stretch and added a service ace for the Sunbirds to send the match to a fourth set.
 
Set four of the match was played tight from the get-go as both teams traded points early. At 15-15, Fresno rattled off three straight points causing MSUB to call its first timeout of the set.
 
After the break, the Sunbirds added two more points before a Gentili block gave the ball back to MSUB.
 
The Sunbirds slammed down a kill to take the set to a 21-16 advantage when MSUB head coach Lisa Axel called her second timeout of the match.
 
It wasn't over yet. Down by six points and two points from defeat, Walter would take a great kill cross-court to pull the Yellowjackets to 18-23. Another big block, a Kyndal Williams set dump, and a Walter kill off a short set to the side would cause Fresno to call its first timeout of the match.
 
After the break, Walter would again sneak off a kill down the right side line to get the Yellowjackets to within one, and with an error by Inck, the Sunbirds would be forced to call a second timeout at 23-23.
 
Close to forcing a fifth and deciding set, MSUB's Krista Norris sent a ball to the floor to give MSU Billings the advantage at 24-23, but the team couldn't finish the set, as Fresno used an ace and two more kills to close the match out in four sets.
 
Walter led all players with her 19 kills. Ward had eight and Norris six for the Yellowjackets.
 
Setter Williams completed a double-double of the match putting up 35 assists and coming up with 12 digs. Wells had a match-high 21 digs, while Kirk added 15.
 
Led by Inck's 18 kills and 10 digs, four Sunbirds numbered kills in the double-digits. Morghan Williams had 16, Rebecca Waller 13, and Kathleen Anderson 10 kills and six total blocks for Fresno.
 
Sarah McCann finished with a match-high 53 assists for Fresno Pacific, while Hannah Butler had 20 digs for the Sunbirds.
 
MSU Billings is now 1-2 at the PacWest/GNAC tournament. The Yellowjackets have one more match left; tomorrow MSUB will face Academy of Art at 10 a.m. PT.
 
Please visit the tournament page at dominicanathletics.com/crossover for complete details.