Volleyball | 9/25/2010 9:33:51 PM

Box Score [Box score]

MONMOUTH, Ore. - Western Oregon had three student-athletes record double figure kills en route to defeating Montana State Billings 25-19, 19-25, 25-16 and 25-17 on Saturday, Sept. 25.

The win moved WOU to 6-5 on the season (4-2 GNAC) and kept it within a game and a half of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference lead. The loss dropped Montana State Billings to 1-11 and 1-3 in the GNAC.

Stephanie Beeler, Krissi Kemper and Samantha Ward each posted 10 kills and Danielle Reese added nine as the Wolves outhit the Yellowjackets .254 to .079.

"We talked before the match that we had to get our middles going," said Western Oregon head coach Brad Saindon. "Last year against certain blocking schemes we set Laura Sakala and it was a kill. We have to get back to that point."

Western Oregon also got 16 digs from Megan Triggs, 34 assists from Jorden Burrows and four blocks from Becky Blees, who also posted an impressive .500 hitting percentage (six kills, one error).

Jennifer Boe led MSU Billings with eight kills and 21 digs.

The Wolves took the first set 25-19 behind their two freshmen middles. Becky Blees converted on all four of her kill attempts and Kemper on five of her nine attempts. The duo combined for half of the Wolves' 18 kills and hit .692 in the set. The Wolves' defense was also on, as it allowed just a .107 hitting percentage.

Montana State Billings bounced back strong in the second set and never trailed. It jumped on top with a 5-1 run to open the set and eventually built a 17-9 lead. MSUB would go on to win the set 25-19. The Yellowjackets had just seven kills in the set but benefitted from seven WOU hitting errors and eight service errors. Jennifer Boe had a set-best four kills for MSU Billings.

The third set saw Western Oregon make prolonged run for the win. With the match tied at 10, WOU took 14 of the next 17 points to put itself in position to take the set. Beeler had five kills in six attempts and Ward added five.

In the fourth set, Western Oregon never trailed en route to capturing the decisive set. Kemper, Reese and Beeler all registered three kills.

The Wolves' next match will be on the road at Central Washington (Sept. 30).