MONMOUTH, Ore.- The Montana State University Billings Yellowjacket volleyball team (7-19, 0-16 GNAC) battled the Western Oregon Wolves (15-9, 7-8 GNAC) in a four-set thriller on Thursday night, ultimately falling 3-1 (25-7, 21-25, 27-25, 25-22). After a dominant first set from the Wolves, each of the remaining sets were decided by three points or fewer, with the Yellowjackets outhitting Western Oregon .230 to .172.
In a standout performance on her birthday,
Jahsita Fa'ali'i led MSUB with a double-double, registering a team-high 12 kills, 11 digs, five blocks, and one ace. She was supported by
Jordin Taulua, who contributed nine kills and three blocks, and
Julia Gordon, who posted eight kills along with a team-leading seven blocks.
Christine Funk had an impressive night on the back row, collecting 23 digs for an average of 5.75 digs per set with three assists and two aces.
Emma Fa'alogo set the offense in motion with 18 assists, while
Addie Allen added 16 assists.
HEAR FROM COACH WILLIAMS: "I am proud of how we rebounded after a tricky first set. We came out fiery in the second set and played some great volleyball. Unfortunately we couldn't get a few points to go our way and fell just short, but it is something to build off on for a quick turnaround Saturday. Chris played great for us and we had solid production from the outside in a well balanced attack offensive night. We did well at the net tonight and Sita had a solid outing that she should be proud of!"
FIRST SET
The match began with both teams trading early points, with MSUB capitalizing on a couple of WOU errors and a service ace from Fa'alogo. However, Western Oregon quickly found their rhythm, going on a nine-point run behind the serve of Madison Hornback to build a commanding 14-3 lead. Despite kills from Fa'ali'i and
Bailey Nichols, the Wolves' offensive momentum continued, with an 11-4 run to close out the set 25-7, aided by a .700 team hitting percentage.
SECOND SET
Western Oregon kept their momentum into the second set, jumping out to a 3-0 lead. However, the Yellowjackets responded with a 10-4 run, fueled by three kills from Fa'ali'i and
Aliah Williams, giving MSUB their first lead of the night. The teams exchanged leads three times, but MSUB finished strong, closing the set with a 7-3 run, capped by a set-winning kill from Taulua. The Yellowjackets outhit the Wolves .306 to .116 in the second set to secure a 25-21 victory.
THIRD SET
The Yellowjackets came out hot in the third set, jumping to a 7-3 lead, thanks to service aces from Allen and
Avarey Stuff. The Wolves fought back to tie the score at 10, eventually regaining a two-point advantage. The back-and-forth battle continued, but MSUB responded with a 4-0 run to reclaim a 17-15 lead. Despite their best efforts, the Yellowjackets fell short in extra points, with the Wolves taking the set 27-25.
FOURTH SET
The action remained tight in the fourth set, with MSUB slightly edging the Wolves to take a 13-9 lead. However, Western Oregon answered with seven unanswered points to retake the lead and would extend it to 21-16. Fa'ali'i reached double digits with her 10th kill of the night, while Funk picked up her 23rd dig of the match. MSUB made a late push, closing the gap to two points at match point, but the Wolves held on to win 25-22, clinching the match.
STATISTIC LEADERS
KILLS: Jahsita Fa'ali'i (12);
Jordin Taulua (9)
ASSISTS: Emma Fa'alogo (18);
Addie Allen (16)
DIGS: Christine Funk (23);
Jahsita Fa'ali'i (11)
BLOCKS: Julia Gordon (7);
Jahsita Fa'ali'i (5)
ACES: Christine Funk (2);
Bailey Nichols (2)
THE BUZZ: Jahsita Fa'ali'i was named Intermountain Health Player of the Game after a double-double performance, posting 12 kills, 11 digs, five blocks, and one service ace.
UP NEXT: The Montana State University Billings volleyball team stays on the road, heading to Lacey, WA to take on the Saint Martin's Saint this Saturday at 2 PM (MT).
