BILLINGS, Mont. (Oct. 15) – Redshirt freshman Amanda Short posted a match-high 14 kills and sophomore Alisha Bettinson notched her fifth double-double to help the Western Oregon volleyball team snap a seven-match skid in sweeping host Montana State Billings – 25-15, 26-24, 26-24 – on Thursday night.
 
The Wolves, 5-14 overall and 2-8 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play, nabbed its first true road win of the season (1-8 away from Monmouth). MSUB dropped to 3-14 on the year and 207 in conference.
 
Thursday's match saw the Wolves streak out to a 16-8 lead behind early kills from Bettinson and Paige Kelsey. WOU hit .351 with only three errors to win the opening set by 10 points.
 
Sets two and three were a true neck-and-neck battle, as the teams combined for 26 ties and eight lead changes in the final two games. WOU trailed as late as a 19-18 count in the second set before a Sydney Blankinship kill sparked a four-point rally. With the set tied at 24-24, another kill from Blankinship and a MSUB error closed out the game for a Wolves' 2-0 lead.
 
In the third set, WOU trailed 5-0 after a hot Yellowjackets start. A quick timeout calmed the team down, who rebounded to take a 10-7 lead with a seven-point string that included three kills from Short. MSUB fought back every time after surrendering the lead. WOU had two match points thwarted to set the stage again at 24-24. The Wolves got the serve back on an error behind the service line and Short ended the match with her seventh kills of the game.
 
WOU had a season-best .386 hitting percentage as a team, collecting 16 kills in each of the three sets. The Wolves committed just nine errors for the match, which tied the team's lowest mark on the year (vs. Alaska, Sept. 19). WOU also held Montana State Billings to a .169 percentage for the night, including a .023 mark in the opening set.
 
Aiding in the offensive statistics was Paige Kelsey with nine kills and Mariella Vandenkooy with seven kills. WOU also held the defensive edge – winning the digs battle 58-44 and holding an 8-4 advantage in blocks. Reigning GNAC Defensive Player of the Week Christie Colasurdo had 21 digs.
 
Western Oregon hosts two matches next week – Thursday, Oct. 22 against Seattle Pacific and Saturday, Oct. 24 against Saint Martin's. Both matches are slated to start at 7 p.m. at the New P.E. Building.
at 7 p.m.