BILLINGS, Mont. – Hitting the road for the first time since October 12, the Montana State University Billings Volleyball team will cross international boarders to face the Simon Fraser University Clan. Following their return to United States soil, MSUB will play against the No. 6 in the Nation, University of Western Washington Vikings.
 
Yellowjackets (7-15, 4-8 Great Northwest Athletic Conference) will play the role of underdog in both matches. SFU (13-7, 9-3 GNAC) is coming of a 3-1 (25-22, 15-25, 25-16, 25-11) loss to no. 6 WWU (20-1, 12-1 GNAC).
 
LAST TIME OUT: The Montana State University Billings volleyball team dropped two GNAC matches last week after defeating local rival Rocky Mountain College.  
 
MSUB fell to the University of Alaska Anchorage 3-1 (28-26, 15-25, 25-15, 25-10) on October 24 and then lost a heartbreaking five set match to the University of Alaska, Fairbanks 3-2 (25-20, 16-25, 21-25, 25-12, 15-11).

Junior right-side hitter Bayli Monck was Player of the Week after 46 kills, 39 digs, five blocks and eight aces in three matches. She had double-doubles in all three matches. Monck finished with 15 kills, 14 digs and five aces in Tuesday's win over crosstown rival Rocky Mountain.
 
She produced 16 kills, 11 digs and two aces against Alaska Anchorage on Thursday and 15 kills, 14 digs, three blocks and a .419 hitting percentage against Alaska on Saturday. In the combined matches, she tallied 56.5 points (18.8/match and 4.35/set).
 
BY THE NUMBERS: Monck continues to be one of the most consistent producers for MSUB on both sides of the ball. She leads the team in kills and is 13^th in the GNAC with 235 (2.76/set), is tied for the team lead with 23 services aces, leads the team in block assists with 58 and is second on the team, 18^th in the GNAC, with 261 digs (3.07/set). Monck has moved into the top 10, currently in the 10^th slot, in the league in terms of points with 288.0 (3.39/set).
 
Junior middle blocker Joelle Mahowald has been the most efficient player for MSUB as she is one of the best in the league at putting balls away. After dropping a stellar hitting percentage of .444 against UAF, Mahowald is now number five in the GNAC in terms of hitting percentage with an outstanding .300 average per game. If the season were to end, her .300 average would be good enough for eighth all-time single season hitting percentage in MSUB history.
 
Hannah Hashbarger continues her steady accent up the league leader board as she is now fifth in the GNAC, and first on the team with 660 assists (9.43/set).
 
"I'm excited to play this weekend," said head coach Casey Williams. I thought the last time we played WWU we had a great match. We pushed the then #2 team in the nation to 4 sets and tested them until the end. I don't feel the same way about SFU. I don't think that they saw very good volleyball out of us the last time we matched up and I would like to see the team come out a little bit stronger this time around."
 
Scouting Simon Fraser University
Game Day: Friday, November 1 – 8 p.m. MT Time  
2019 Record: 13-7, 9-3 GNAC, 5-1 home, 5-3 away, 3-3 neutral
2018 Record: 15-11, 12-8 GNAC, 7-3 home, 6-5 away, 2-3 neutral
Head Coach: Gina Schmidt (7^th season)
 
The Clan (13-8, 9-4 GNAC) dropped a match to WWU Tuesday, October 29, 3-1 (25-22, 15-25, 25-16, 25-11). SFU entered that match on a seven game win streak, having not lost since the last time they faced the Vikings on October 1.  Betsie de Beer led the team with a double-double of 18 kills and 15 digs. Bianca Te paced the defense with 18 digs. The clan was out-hit by the Vikings .169 to .231. 
 
Kirsten Pinkey leads the team with 246 kills (3.00 k/set). Te is one of the best defenders in the GNAC and has 392 digs on the year (4.78 per set) which is the third best mark in the conference. Julia Tays is also fourth in the conference with 781 assists on the year (9.52 assists per set). 
 
The first match up on October 5, the Clan swept the Yellowjackets 3-0 (25-23, 27-25, 25-16) in the match. Both teams were plagued by errors as SFU finished with 16 and MSUB 17. 
 
Skylar Reed finished with 11 kills, hitting .250 and was the only 'Jacket in double digit figures. Hasbargr posted 29 assists, and Monck led the team defensively with 16 digs. 
 
Montana State University Billings is 6-15 all-time versus Simon Fraser University.  The last victory for MSUB dates back to October, 2013.  
 
Scouting #6 Western Washington University
Game Day Saturday, November 2 – 7 p.m. MT time  
2019 Record: 20-1, 12-1 GNAC, 7-0 home, 7-1 away, 6-0 neutral
2018 Record: 30-4, 20-0 GNAC, 13-0 home, 12-0 away, 5-4 neutral
Head Coach: Diane Flick-Williams (20^th Season)
 
The Vikings are one of the very best teams in the nation. Entering the week ranked No. 6, WWU has only suffered one defeat this season coming at the hands of the University of Alaska Anchorage 3-1 (25-19, 19-25, 25-20, 26-24). The loss snapped a 47-match GNAC win streak dating back to 2017.
 
WWU defeated SFU on Tuesday 3-1 (25-22, 15-25, 25-16, 25-11). The Vikings were led by Gabby Gunterman recording a 16-kill, 16-dig double-double and redshirt freshman Calley Heilborn adding a 15-kill, 14-dig double-double. Malia Aleaga recorded 48 assists and Mae Thungc had 19 digs.
 
As a team, the Vikings lead the GNAC in hitting percentage (.271), opponent hitting percentage (.141), assists (989, 13.19/set), kills (1050, 14.00/set) and blocks (205.5, 2.74/set).
 
WWU boasts four hitters in the top 15 of the GNAC. Kayleigh Harper is number one in the conference with a .357 hitting percentage, Chloe Roetcisoender is number two with a .336 average, Gunterman is 10^th at .261 and Heilborn is 14^th at .254.
 
Earlier this season on Oct. 4, Yellowjackets came out on fire with a strong first set but still fell 3-1 (15-25, 25-21, 25-20, 28-26) to then second ranked Western Washington University Vikings Friday night at Alterowitz Gymnasium. MSUB opened up with a resounding 21-15 first set win and fought hard the entire match including having a game point in the fourth set, but WWU held onto win the final three sets in a row to avoid the upset. 
 
Western Washington proved to be one of the best teams in the nation last year and made it all the way to the National Championship, but fell to the University of Tampa 2-3 (25-21, 18-25, 25-21, 23-25, 11-15).  The Vikings finished with four All-Americans, won their second GNAC championship in a row, became the first team in GNAC history to record a perfect 20-0 season and head coach Diane Flick-Williams was named the West-Region's Coach of the Year.
 
MSUB is 1-25 all-time against WWU.  The only victory came in September, 2014 when the Yellowjackets upset the then national ranked No. 10 Vikings. 
 
Live stats and video for the two matches can be found at msubsports.com.