BILLINGS, Mont. – The Montana State University Billings women's basketball team was unable to take home the victory in the team's first conference game of the season, falling narrowly by a score of 59-56 to Western Washington University in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play.
 
Facing a difficult matchup to open conference play at Alterowitz Gym, the Yellowjackets (4-6, 0-1 GNAC) would battle until the final buzzer, keeping the Vikings (8-2, 1-0 GNAC) on the ropes all night. But despite the efforts of the Yellowjackets in a tough, gritty contest, they would be unable to take victory over the visitors, with Western Washington seeing off the late push by the 'Jackets to hang on to the lead.
 
"It was a great conference opener," said Yellowjacket head coach Kevin Woodin. "I thought we really battled hard all game. In many aspects it was our best game of the season, so it's unfortunate that we fell a little bit short. Offensively we struggled in the first and third quarter, which we still need to iron out, but I thought we displayed a lot of grit today. That's something we've been focusing on, making sure that even tough we're young and inexperienced to make sure we bring that grittiness and toughness out there with us, and we did that tonight."
 
Tailey Harris would lead MSUB in points, tying her season and career best with 16 in the game, knocking down a trio of three pointers while dishing out four assists and adding on three rebounds. Cassie Chesnut would finish right behind her with 14 points and ten rebounds and two steals, collecting the first double-double of her collegiate career. Kaitlin Grossman scored ten points with seven boards and a steal, while Kyla Momberg collected seven points, three assists, and two rebounds on the night. Brooklynn Brennan would score four points with an assist and a steal, Rae Smart would score three points to go with eight rebounds and a pair of assists and steals each, while Allison Kunze would round out the scoring with two points, adding on an a rebound and a steal.
 
After trading made baskets to open the game, the Vikings opened up a narrow lead in the early stages of the first half as the Yellowjackets struggled to sustain offensive momentum. MSUB would continue to battle hard, never falling more than a few shots off the lead, but a hot-shooting Vikings offense would knock down 8-13 (61.5%) of it's looks in the opening ten minutes, building up a 17-10 lead going into the second quarter. But the 'Jackets would battle back, chipping into Western Washington's lead as the second quarter wore on, and the team began to make more of their shots. The Yellowjackets would knock down 8-15 (53.3%) of their looks in the quarter, battling back all quarter until back-to-back buckets from Harris and Chesnut would level the game once more. The Vikings would take that lead back briefly with a three-pointer of their own, but five straight points to end the half by the 'Jackets, four scored by Chesnut, would help boost MSUB into the lead late, carrying a 32-30 advantage into the break.
 
The third quarter would open with a back-and-forth stretch of play as both sides fought to wrestle control of the game. The first five minutes of action would consist of three lead changes and four ties, before the Vikings would finish that stretch on a 7-0 run to regain their lead. The Vikings would manage to turn that run into a six-point lead by the end of the third, scoring the last five points of the quarter, and would push that lead to double-digits early in the fourth quarter. But MSUB wouldn't give up, with Harris hitting a pair of big shots in the fourth to cut the lead to five, before a three by Chesnut would make it a one-score game once more. Western would continue to make shots late to restore a multi-basket cushion, but the Yellowjackets would respond after each blow, keeping it a one score game heading into the final minute of action. But MSUB would be unable to find a game-tying shot to rally once more, and the Vikings would narrowly hold on to see out the victory.
 
"Overall, it was a great basketball game, and we just fell a little short," commented Woodin. "We know the areas we need to improve in; we struggled a bit from the free throw line where we've tended to be good this season. Two players combined for 43 of Western's points, but I thought even with those totals we made them work hard for every one of those baskets. We're looking forward to regrouping ahead of our next conference game Friday, and continuing to get better."
 
THE BUZZ: Chesnut was selected as the Intermountain Health Player of the Game.
 
UP NEXT: The Yellowjackets take the court next on Friday, December 5 as they take on Simon Fraser University at Alterowitz Gym. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 PM, with live video available on the GNAC Network, live statistics available here, and tickets available for purchase online here.