Fairbanks, Alaska. – Unable to overcome 12 service aces by University of Alaska Fairbanks, Montana State University Billings volleyball fell 3-2 (25-12, 18-25, 22-25, 25-16, 15-6) at Alaska Airlines Center in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference match Thursday afternoon. The Yellowjackets took sets two and three from the Nanooks, but won just one of the first nine points in the deciding frame as they suffered their first conference defeat of the fall.
 
Kim Wong was outstanding offensively for UAF and finished with 16 kills and zero errors for a .567 hitting percentage. Cate Whiting assisted on 45 kills and the Nanooks hit .287 as a team, outpacing MSUB at .171. Whiting also had a game high four service aces and seven blocks.
 
In the loss, Maddi Vigil and Skylar Reed each recorded 11 kills. Bayli Monck notched a double-double with 10 kills and 16 digs.
 
"We struggled to find any consistency in that match," commented head coach Casey Williams. "UAF served us really hard and we couldn't match their energy and consistency. UAF is a strong team and they outworked us today."
 
The Yellowjackets (4-8, 2-1 GNAC) broke a three-match winning streak Thursday. They remain on the road Saturday, September 28 for a match against University of Alaska Anchorage (7-4, 2-1 GNAC) at 7 p.m. AKT. University of Alaska Fairbanks (7-5, 4-0 GNAC) defeated both MSUB and rival Alaska Anchorage this week. The Nanooks pit their perfect conference record against Northwest Nazarene Thursday, October 3 in Fairbanks.
 
THE BUZZ: Monck was named St. Vincent Healthcare player of the match after recording her fourth double-double of the season, seventh of her career.