BILLINGS, Mont. – Miranda McConnell had a career high ten blocks and the Montana State University volleyball team defeated Seattle Pacific University 3-2 Saturday afternoon at Alterowitz Gymnasium. Strong defense late by Maddi Vigil also helped propel MSUB to their seventh five set victory of the season.
 
"We showed a lot of heart tonight," commented MSUB head coach Casey Williams after the match. "We came out in that fifth set with a lot of energy and made some great defensive plays. We are getting better every day and continue to grow as a team."
 
Montana State Billings improved to 5-9 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference and are now just one win below .500 overall on the season at 11-12. After the Falcons won the September 20 matchup between the two teams 3-2 in Seattle, MSUB got revenge Saturday to even the season series at 1-1 with a five-set victory of their own. Seattle Pacific (10-11, 8-6 GNAC) also had its' three-match win streak broken up by the 'Jackets in Billings.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED: The Yellowjackets played with positive energy beginning in the first set, but even so, the score stayed nearly even. Back-to-back block assists gave MSUB its' largest lead of the set 19-14, but the Falcons came back. After the 'Jackets failed to convert four set points, the Falcons tied the score 24-24 and Eavan Taylor capitalized to put away a kill, giving the Yellowjackets the set 26-24. Montana State Billings narrowly outhit the Falcons in the first set .091 to .000.
 
Seattle Pacific improved its' hitting percentage greatly in the second set and gained the first measurable advantage for either side with a 4-0 run to lead 19-15. Gabby Oddo led all players with nine kills for SPU and the Falcons tied the match at one with a 25-22 second frame win.
 
After another strong start by SPU in the third, the Yellowjackets rallied back from deficits of 6-0 and 10-3 to win 25-20, taking a 2-1 lead in the match. Skylar Reed made it to double-digit kills and Taylor Sherman's kill at 23-20 gave MSUB set point. Bayli Monck made her fifth kill of the match to seal it and MSUB outhit the Falcons .257 to .143 in the third.
 
Seattle Pacific won five straight points and nine out of ten over the middle stretch to take a 21-12 lead in the fourth. The Falcons made 16 kills and outhit the 'Jackets .170 to .042. Oddo continued to be a force on the SPU front line and the Yellowjackets never recovered and lost the fourth 25-18.
 
Vigil came alive early in the deciding set and the Yellowjackets jumped out to a 6-2 advantage. At 14-6, it was Riley Moore who had the winning kill to put away the set and the match for MSUB.
 
BY THE NUMBERS: Reed led the way in kills for the Yellowjackets with 15 and a hitting percentage of .289. Moore had ten kills and Monck added seven.
 
For the Falcon offense, Oddo led all players with 23 kills and hit .270 while Jaedan Hooker also contributed 10 kills.
 
Vigil excelled defensively for MSUB and made 21 digs. She was assisted by Izela Alvarez who finished with 19 digs, and Kylee Clarke who dug out 11.
 
Four SPU players reached double-digit digs with Amanda Ganete leading the way with 24. MSUB out-blocked Seattle Pacific 24 to 18 and also bested the Falcons in overall hitting percentage .159 to .119.
 
The Yellowjackets are 2-0 on their current five-match homestand and improved to 4-2 at home this fall. MSUB also moved up one position in the GNAC standings to eighth ahead of Northwest Nazarene and behind Concordia (Ore.).
 
UP NEXT: Montana State University Billings hosts crosstown rival Rocky Mountain College on Tuesday October 23 at 7 p.m. The Yellowjackets will break out the pink uniforms for the match as MSUB and St. Vincent Healthcare present Pink Night. All entrants wearing pink will get free admission into the match as the 'Jackets support the fight against cancer. MSUB volleyball will also have a 50/50 raffle with proceeds being donated to the Eva project, which provides free digital mammograms to women over age 40 that are uninsured or under-insured.
 
THE BUZZ: McConnell was named St. Vincent Healthcare player of the match for MSUB…The Yellowjackets are now 12-30 all-time against the Falcons.