BILLINGS, Mont. – After opening GNAC conference play with two wins at home, the MSU Billings volleyball team has a one-day turnaround after leaving Friday to play at Alaska Anchorage and Alaska Fairbanks.
 
With the new conference schedule, the Yellowjackets will play six matches in two weeks. This week MSUB took care of business at home with an opening straight-set win against Western Oregon on Tuesday, and then a five-set thriller on Thursday against Saint Martin's.
 
After playing a five-set match Thursday night, the Yellowjackets headed to the airport Friday morning for an early 6 a.m. flight. Saturday MSUB will face the Seawolves of Alaska Anchorage. On Sunday MSU Billings will again board a plane, this time for Fairbanks where on Monday the Yellowjackets will play a match against the Nanooks of Alaska Fairbanks.
 
The Seawolves are 8-2, 2-0 GNAC and have played both of their conference matches on the road. Last Tuesday, UAA won its match against No. 10 Western Washington in Bellingham, Wash., 3-2. On Wednesday the Seawolves won a straight-set victory over Simon Fraser in Burnaby, B.C. 
 
Katelynn Zanders is No. 6 in the GNAC in kills/set with 3.37. Sophomore middle blocker Kayla McGlathery is hitting .337 on the season. In the match against SFU, McGlathery had eight kills on 12 attacks for a .667 attack percentage. McGlathery is also No. 2 in the conference in blocks/set with 1.25.
 
Sophomore setter Morgan Hooe leads the team in assists with 7.29/set while libero Quinn Barker is No. 4 in the GNAC in digs averaging 4.55 digs/set.
 
MSU Billings is 10-37 all-time against Alaska Anchorage. The Yellowjackets are 4-18 in Anchorage, and have lost the last eight matches the two teams have played.
 
Alaska Fairbanks has yet to win a match this season; the Nanooks are 0-10, 0-2 GNAC. UAF lost both of its matches against No. 10 WWU and SFU in straight sets.
 
The Nanooks' Sam Harthun is No. 2 in the GNAC in kills with 4.09/set. Harthun is No. 1 for UAF in digs with 2.53/set and second on the team in service aces. Defensive specialists Tessa Butterfield and Samantha Hesterman are splitting the back row defensively, while Miranda Grieser leads the team in assists with 6.88 per set.
 
Against the Nanooks, the Yellowjackets hold a 22-26 overall record, but are 5-14 in away meetings. Last season the two teams split their matches. MSUB lost the first match in Fairbanks, but won the last match of the home season in four sets.
 
Montana State University Billings is now 7-3, 2-0 in the GNAC. The Yellowjckets opened with two big wins at home against Western Oregon and Saint Martin's.
 
Chelsey Walter is hitting .366 with an average of 3.29 kills/set on the season. The senior now has 125 kills and 30 blocks in 2014. This past week, Walter moved onto the MSUB all-time list at No. 10 in career block assists (167) and No. 10 in career total blocks (212).
 
Monica Grimsrud is second on the team in kills. The outside hitter numbered her kills in double-digits in both conference matches this week. Grimsrud also continues to climb into the all-time lists at MSUB. The Montana City native is currently No. 5 in career kills with 1,195, 95 kills behind No. 4 Olivia Munro (2001-04).
 
Libero Haley Wells continues to lead MSUB in digs. The freshman from Albany Ore., is No. 6 in the conference in digs/set with 4.24.
 
Kyndal Williams is averaging 10.26 assists/set and is No. 2 in the GNAC. The junior setter has had 30-plus assists in every match this season.
 
Montana State University Billings will face Alaska Anchorage on Saturday, Sept. 20 at 7 p.m. AK and Alaska Fairbanks on Monday, Sept. 22 also at 7 p.m. AK.
 
Live video and live stats for both matches will be available at msubsports.com.