BILLINGS, Mont. - The Alaska Nanooks volleyball team fell to Montana State Billings on Thursday, Oct. 21 in five sets. After jumping out to an early lead, the Yellowjackets came back to pull off the five-set win. This loss drops the Nanooks to 13-9, 6-4 GNAC.

The Nanooks jumped out of the gates with an impressive 18 first-set kills, adding a .385 hit percentage for a quick first-set win, 25-17. Their momentum continued, but started to halt near the end of the second-set. After jumping out to an early lead, they withstood a late push by MSUB, winning the second, 25-23. The Yellowjackets turned the page and grabbed the next three sets. In the third, they outhit the 'Nooks 10-12 and pulled away with a 16-25 win before posting a 14-25 fourth-set win. Billings pulled out the comeback, putting Alaska away with a 9-15 fifth-set victory, despite Alaska posting more kills. 

Set one was all Nanooks as Alaska pushed a 5-2 lead on the scoreboard immediately. They held off runs from MSUB, grabbing their biggest lead of 10 at 18-8. They hit it, once again, at 19-9 before closing the Yellowjackets away at 25-17. In set two, MSUB grabbed an early two-point lead, but that was erased on a run by the Nanooks. Alaska made it 13-9 on a 4-0 run. Billings took the lead back at 15-17 on their own four-point swing, but the 'Nooks had another response, scoring the next six points, making it 21-17. After pushing their lead to 24-19, the Yellowjackets held off four set-points before Alaska won it 25-23. 

MSUB went on to grab the final three sets, completing a reverse sweep on the Nanooks. In the third set, Montana outhit the 'Nooks .023 to .229, posting two more kills with five less errors. They took set three 16-25 forcing a fourth set. Montana State Billings repeated their success in the fourth, posting a .343 hit percentage compared to the Nanooks .059. They took the fourth 14-25. Finally, in the fifth, the Nanooks pulled out an early lead, but watched their 4-1 disappear into a 6-10 deficit. The Yellowjackets took five of the final seven points, defeating Alaska 9-15 in the fifth. 

Lahra Weber led the way with 14 kills. She ended with a .000 hit percentage. She added 12 digs for a double-double on the night. AveRee Reynolds added 11 kills, posting a .207 hit percentage. Cate Whiting posted another stellar night distributing the ball, ending the night with 46 assists and 12 digs. Rilee White had the second most digs on the team with 14 while Dani Dodge had 17, a team-high. 

For more information on the Alaska Nanooks volleyball team, follow @NanooksVB on Twitter, @AlaskaNanooksVB on Instagram, or like the Alaska Nanooks Volleyball team page on Facebook.