MONMOUTH, Ore. – The attack was off from the start for the Montana State University Billings volleyball team (6-11, 2-6 Great Northwest Athletic Conference) in Saturday's 3-0 (25-9, 25-18, 25-18) loss to the Western Oregon University Wolves (6-9, 2-6 GNAC). The 'Jackets were undone by 18 attack errors and a .056 hitting percentage while the Wolves hit .288 on 20 more kills with five fewer errors.
 
Junior Miranda McConnell was MSUB's most effective attacker as she had five kills with a team-best .308 hitting percentage and recorded two block assists. Hali Ehresmann also tallied five kills while hitting .286 and adding a block assist. Izela Alvarez picked up 15 digs in the match followed by Maddi Vigil who paired seven kills with her 11 digs.
 
The Wolves put on a dominating display in the first set behind four kills from Mariella Vandenkooy. The Yellowjacket attack had their four kills out-weighed by eight errors in the opening frame as the team totaled nine points. Alvarez had eight digs in the set followed by sophomore Taylor Sherman's six digs. Alexa Smythe started at setter and recorded 4 assists in the first game.
 
The second set started with an eight-to-one run by WOU that put the 'Jackets in too deep of a hole to comeback. The lead was stretched to 12-points before MSUB fought back to trim the lead to five at 15-20. The offense continued to struggle as MSUB hit .088 for the set. Kylee Clarke entered at setter and recorded eight assists in the second set.
 
MSUB started the final set with promise as they worked a 4-1 lead before WOU would get things rolling in their favor again. The Wolves would open up a double-digit lead for the third consecutive set and never give the 'Jackets a chance to come back. Clarke added eight more assists in the set as MSUB hit .250 in the final frame, their best percentage on the night. Vigil added four kills and Bayli Monck had two of her four kills of the night in the final set.
 
UP NEXT: MSUB will return to Alterowitz gym next week to host Central Washington University (10-5, 5-2 GNAC) and No. 12 Northwest Nazarene (15-0, 7-0 GNAC). The match can be watched via the MSUB Stretch Internet Portal.