BILLINGS, Mont. – The Yellowjacket volleyball team (5-4, 1-0 Great Northwest Athletic Conference) opened up their conference schedule on Friday with a tight-rope 3-2 (25-21, 21-25, 26-24, 19-25, 16-14) win over the University of Alaska Nanooks (7-4, 0-2 GNAC) in Alterowitz Gymnasium.
 
"I am extremely proud of the way we finished the game tonight," head coach Casey Williams said after the victory. "We've let some of those situations get the better of us this season so it is nice to see our team progressing this early. It's great to see out freshmen step us and carry us against a tough Alaska team."
 
The 'Jackets had yet to win a game that lasted longer than three sets before their home opener on Friday. It is MSUB's eight-consecutive win over Alaska. Izela Alvarez recorded 35 digs as the Nanooks attack attempted to avoid the stellar freshman libero throughout the match but it was Alvarez who made big defensive plays late that allowed the 'Jackets to earn the win.
 
Alvarez wasn't the only one making a difference on defense as MSUB came up with 10 blocks in the game including solo blocks from Miranda McConnell and Maddi Vigil. McConnell anchored the front line with five block-assists in the match while Hali Ehresmann and Bayli Monck added three each and, Alexa Smythe and Taylor Sherman compiled two block-assists each.
 
In what has become the theme of the young 2017 season, the 'Jackets set the tone in the first set by scoring the first two points and never trailing after early one-point deficit. MSUB took 5-4 lead with a kill by Sherman and pulled further away with a kill from Ehresmann. Ehresmann was effective in the first set for the Yellowjackets with her team leading five kills and a .444 hitting percentage. Vigil picked up three of her 18 kills in the first set while right side Mock recorded her fourth kill of the opening set to seal the 25-21 win and put the 'Jackets up 1-0.
 
The second set started with MSUB racing out to an 11-5 lead and holding the Nanooks at bay. Vigil and Monck unloaded a flurry of attacks though the heart of the set to build the 'Jacket margin to seven at 17-10. That is when the Nanooks started a devastating 15-4 run bolstered by five kills from freshman Lahra Weber and another three kills from senior Riley Podowicz.
 
The Nanooks rode the momentum from their second set victory into the beginning of the third set and had MSUB on their heels from the outset. After a kill from the Alaska's Markie Miller and an attack error from the 'Jackets, the Nanook lead was 19-14.
 
The Yellowjackets had been 0-6 in sets when trailing by five at any point but they would not give in. Again, it was Vigil and Monck who woke the MSUB offense and changed the tone of the third set. After errors from the Nanooks, the set was within reach at 24-22. McConnell delivered back-to-back kills to the delight of the crown and earned the 'Jackets their first tie of the set at 24-24. Freshman setter Alexa Smythe delivered her only kill of the game to give the 'Jackets a 25-24 lead before MSUB completed the comeback off of an Alaska error.
 
The match wouldn't get any easier for either team during the fourth set. The teams exchanged the lead four times in the set while breaking through six ties but it was the Nanooks that maintained the most control. With the set tied at 15-15 a trio of 'Jacket errors would pave the way for Alaska to clinch the tie. The Nanook's six point margin of victory was the largest of any set on the evening.
 
The fifth set was deadlocked with the teams tying 10-times through the abbreviated final set. Alaska held an early lead but MSUB closed when it mattered and received major contributions from Monck who delivered four of her match-best 19 kills while hitting .600 in the deciding frame. McConnell got the crown on their feet as her kill put MSUB up 15-14 and on game point. After a solid serve by Sherman the Nanooks recorded their final error of the evening as a long attack started the 'Jackets celebration.
 
MSUB will play the Nanooks in Fairbanks, Alaska on Saturday Nov. 18 at 2 p.m. for their final conference match of the season.
 
Tomorrow the 'Jackets will face the No. 18 University of Alaska Anchorage Seawolves (5-4, 1-0 GNAC) in Alterowitz Gymnasium at 7 p.m. The Seawolves defeated the University of Alaska on Tuesday by a final score of 3-0.
 
THE BUZZ: Maddi Vigil's 18 kills against the Nanooks was a season high from the freshman outside hitter who has now recorded 10 or more kills in eight of the 'Jackets nine games… Izela Alvarez recorded her second 30+ dig performance on Friday finishing just three shy of her 38 from MSUB's first match of the season… Miranda McConnell led the 'Jackets with a .308 hitting percentage on her season-best 11 kills.