BILLINGS, Mont. – The Montana State University Billings volleyball lost a hard fought match to the University of Alaska, Fairbanks 3-2 (25-20, 16-25, 21-25, 25-12, 15-11) Saturday afternoon at Aletorwitz Gymnasium.   
 
The Nanooks (10-10, 7-5 Great Northwest Athletic Conference) were able to capitalize on four costly errors late in the fifth set by the Yellowjackets (7-15, 4-8 GNAC) to escape Alterowitz with a victory.
 
Near mirror images of each other, and if history has anything to say about it, MSUB and UAF were destined for a battle. Of the last six matches the two teams have played, five have gone to three sets and the teams have each won five of the last ten matches  
 
UAF would lead the entire way the first set after opening up a 7-3 lead. MSUB closed the gap to three points, 12-9 but couldn't overtake the Nanooks. A kill from AveRee Reynolds sealed the first set victory for UAF 25-21.
 
Going into the second set, MSUB head coach Casey Williams made a defensive change giving Molly Packer her first start as libero for MSUB. The change had a positive effect as the two squads' basically flip-flopped roles from the first set. MSUB lead the entire set and the closest UAF would come would be three points at 15-12.  
 
A 10-4 run from MSUB to finish out the second set was punctuated by setter Hannah Hasbarger with a rare kill for the 25-16 win.
 
In a set reminiscent of a boxing match, the teams exchanged blows in a back and forth third set. Neither team lead by more than two points until finally MSUB was able to gain a little separation 19-16 after a kill by Bayli Monck.
 
An error by UAF and a kill by Skylar Reed pushed the MSUB advantage to 21-16 which would prove all the distance the 'Jackets would need. A kill from Reed ended the bout 25-21 in favor of MSUB for the 2-1 set advantage.
 
In the fouth set, UAF produced their best set with a combined .500 hitting percentage. The Nanooks jumped to a 5-0 lead which they were able to parlay into a 19-8 lead. MSUB combined for a .091 hitting percentage which allowed UAF to win the fourth set 25-12 and force a deciding fifth set.
 
With the start being crucial to the outcome of the shorted fifth set, MSUB found themselves up 8-5 after a kill from junior Maddi Vigil. The Nanooks tied the game after a 3-0 run at 8 apiece. The teams went point for point with one another to come even at 10-10.
 
It wasn't so much the Nanooks won the set, as it was the 'Jackets lost. An amazing hustle play from UAF's Tatum Unchurch who almost dove out of the gym doors to save a ball gave the Nanooks some positive momentum, but a string of untimely errors plagued MSUB in the closing points. Of the final five points that went UAF's way, four were the result of MSUB errors. A final ace from the Nanook's Lahra Weber gave UAF the 15-11 fifth set and overall match victory 3-2.
 
"We fought hard tonight, unfortunately we had some untimely and costly errors and could not rally to finishing at the end" commented Williams. "We are going to work hard this coming week and get ready for some tough opponents".
 
As a team, the Nanooks finished with 58 kills and a .245 hitting percentage. Kim Wong hit a match high .571 with 13 kills. Reynolds and Weber each finished with 12 kills and Cate Whiting had 41 assists.
 
Defensively, UAF had 60 digs lead by Makena Overby with 14. Whiting also chipped in 12 digs for a double-double of digs and assists.
 
The Yellowjackets held a .240 team hitting percentage. Monck lead all players with 15 kills with a .419 hitting percentage. Monck was also stout on defense as she led the team in digs with 14 for her 12^th double-double of the season. Joelle Mahowald had a team high .444 hitting percentage and contributed 13 kills. Hashbarger had a match high 52 assists which is the fourth time she has surpassed the 50 assist mark on the year.
 
Vigil also had a double-double of 11 kills and 12 digs. Reed chipped in 13 kills, Packer produced 13 digs and Marissa Logozzo added 10.  
 
UP NEXT: The Yellowjackets hit the road for matches against Northwest Nazarene University Thursday, November 7 and Central Washington University, Saturday, November 9.
 
THE BUZZ: Bayli Monck was named Saint Vincent Healthcare player of the game posting her 12th double-double of the season…Her 15 kills and 14 digs led the team and she finished with one of her best hitting percentages of the year at .419.