BILLINGS, Mont. – The Montana State University Billings volleyball team earned a hard-fought victory against crosstown rivals Rocky Mountain College, defeating the Battlin' Bears in straight sets 3-0 (25-23, 29-27, 25-20) Tuesday night at Alterowitz Gym.
 
Despite not taking a set, Rocky spent most of each set in the lead, forcing MSUB to spend most of the night playing from behind. The 'Jackets fought back in each set though, managing to sweep the Bears despite leading for just 13 percent of the entire match.
 
"It certainly wasn't the cleanest volleyball we could have played," said MSUB head coach Casey Bonner. "But I am proud of the way our team fought, and our ability to come from behind and finish when we needed to."


Caty Havekost led the way for the Yellowjackets offensively, racking up 20 kills with only one error, with a .500 hitting percentage, most of both teams. Jahsita Fa'ali'i contributed with 16 kills, along with an ace, and Paiten Langston had 10 kills. Hannah Hashbarger had 40 assists for the 'Jackets, and Christine Funk totaled 25 digs.
 
For Rocky, Makenna Bushman had 10 kills to lead their squad. Blythe Sealey had 28 assists, and Ayla Embry totaled 20 digs for a Bears team which despite leading for a majority of each set, couldn't find a way to finish the Yellowjackets off.
 
Rocky got off to a dominant start to begin the match, scoring the game's first six points and putting the 'Jackets behind quickly in the opening set. But after an MSUB timeout, the Yellowjackets stormed back into the game. Through minimizing errors and powerful hitting, the 'Jackets chipped away at the early Rocky lead, reducing the Bears' advantage to one point three times before finally tying up the set late at 22 apiece. With both teams trying to close out the opening set, MSUB would emerge triumphant, with two consecutive kills by Langston finishing off a massive comeback for the Yellowjackets.
 
Set two would begin similar to the one before it, with Rocky gaining an early lead, but the Yellowjackets managed to keep it close, staying just a few points behind the Bears all set. After tying it up late, the second set would run long as the two teams fought back and forth to gain the two points of separation needed for victory. It would be the 'Jackets who managed to win a marathon of a set, with late heroics from Havekost and Fa'ali'i powering MSUB to a hard fought second set victory.
 
Falling behind again to begin set three, the 'Jackets once again had to do what they had done all night: Come from behind. And they excelled again. After trailing by as much as six in the set, the Yellowjackets embarked on a massive seven point run to take a 20-18 lead. From there, they didn't look back, only allowing the Bears to score two points the rest of the way and completing the sweep in a game that felt much closer.
THE BUZZ: Havekost was named the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game for the Yellowjackets…MSUB moved their all-time record against Rocky to 43-24…the 'Jackets have won four straight matches against Rocky and have not lost a set in their last three battles with the Bears.
 
UP NEXT: The Yellowjackets return to GNAC play this Thursday, where they will face off against Saint Martin's University at home in Alterowitz Gymnasium.