Box Score
HTML Box Score

BILLINGS, Mont. (Nov. 7) -- Sophomore LINDEN FIRETHORNE (Clinton/South Whidbey HS) came off the bench to lead Central Washington University with 16 kills, but the Wildcats let their match with host Montana State University Billings slip away with a 24-26, 26-24, 20-25, 25-21, 18-16 loss to the Yellowjackets on Thursday night at Alterowitz Gymnasium.

The Wildcats, ranked seventh in this week's NCAA Division II West Region poll, fell to 12-10 overall and 8-6 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play. MSUB earned just its second conference win of the season, improving to 2-11 in the GNAC and 4-17 overall.

Firethorne was one of three CWU players in double figures in kills, as fellow sophomores KAITLIN QUIRK (Ellensburg) and RACHEL HANSES (Yakima/West Valley HS) finished with 12 and 10, respectively. Quirk also hit at a .385 percentage and added six total blocks, helping the Wildcats reach a season-high with 15 team blocks.

CWU overcame one match point in the fifth at 14-13, then secured a match point of its own by scoring three of the next four points to take a 16-15 lead. However, a kill by Stormy Siemion enabled MSUB to tie the score, and back-to-back hitting errors by the Wildcats gave the hosts the win.

The Wildcats also saw a four-point lead -- 21-17 -- evaporate late in the fourth set when they had a chance to clinch the match and avoid the decisive fifth frame. However, the Yellowjackets scored eight straight tallies to even the match at two sets apiece.

"We let one get away," CWU head coach Mario Andaya admitted. "MSUB did a good job of staying aggressive and they were more physical than we were. It's disappointing to play up and down at this point in the season, but now we just have to focus on what's ahead of us and on making continued improvements."

Montana State Billings saw four players accumulate 10 or more kills as the Yellowjackets finished with an 81-61 edge in that department. Monica Grimsrud led all players with 30 kills -- the most by a CWU opponent this season -- while Siemion added 15 kills and a match-high 36 digs.

CWU will play its next two matches on the road against two tough opponents, beginning with Seattle Pacific University on Saturday night (Nov. 9) at Brougham Pavilion in Seattle. The Wildcats will also face number eight regionally-ranked Northwest Nazarene University on Nov. 16 before playing their next home match.