(Editor's note: MSUB Athletics release)
BILLINGS – The Montana State University Billings volleyball team fell Northwest Nazarene University 3-0 (25-20, 25-14, 25-22) in Alterowitz Gym Thursday night.
NNU (11-12, 7-9 Great Northwest Athletic Conference) avenged an early season defeat by the Yellowjackets (7-18, 4-11 GNAC) and in doing so, handed the ‘Jackets their fifth straight defeat.
MSUB defeated NNU 3-2 (21-25, 25-23, 26-28, 25-23, 17-15) earlier this season in Nampa Idaho.
Brooke Foster continued her stellar year for the Nighthawks posting a double-double of 14 kills and 16 digs. Abbey Blum also added 12 kills and Natalie Sullivan chipped in 10.
Megan Nelson had a match high 34 assists while Kayla Sale led both teams with 20 digs.
MSUB could not find the spark they needed to ignite the team and struggled to get into any sort of sustained rhythm. Offensively, the ‘Jackets posted a combined .127 hitting percentage on 32 kills and 16 errors. Conversely, NNU ended with a .244 hitting percentage with 46 kills and 17 errors.
Maddi Vigil had a team high 11 kills while hitting .220. Joelle Mahowald led MSUB in hitting efficiency (much as she has done all year) with a .381 hitting percentage. Bayli Monck had a team high 15 digs and Hannah Hashbarger produced 31 assists.
MSUB did do a better job on the block then NNU finishing with seven total to the Nighthawk’s three.
“It was not a great night for us,” said head coach Casey Williams. “We could not getting going offensively or find that fire we needed.”
The Yellowjackets played their best in the first set hitting a combined .195 and posting 13 kills. Down 18-14, MSUB rallied with a 4-0 run to tie on a Monck kill. Not to be outdone, NNU had a mini-run of 3-0, and proceeded to win four of the next six point to come away with the 25-20 first set win.
The third set saw MSUB lead most of the way until the Nighthawks took their first lead at 18-17. Falling behind 23-18, MSUB took one last shot at extending play with a 4-0 run to come within one point 23-22.
A block from Lexi Ward gave NNU their first match point and that was all they needed. A kill from Foster staved the comeback attempt giving the Nighthawks the 3-0 victory over the Yellowjackets.
Maddi Vigil was named Saint Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game for her team high 11 kills with a .220 hitting percentage.
