BILLINGS, MT – Olivia Munro became the second Yellowjacket ever to reach 1,000 career kills Friday night, but Montana State-Billings fell in five games to Western New Mexico. The Pacific West Conference opener for both teams went to the Mustangs, 30-23, 21-30, 30-24, 25-30, 15-13.

WNMU improved to 11-4 overall and 1-0 in the PacWest, dropping MSUB to 6-2, 0-1. Both of the Yellowjackets losses this season have come in five games.

Western used hot hitting in games one and three to take a 2-1 advantage in the match, posting attack percentages of .333 and .319 respectively. The Yellowjackets dominated the second game, pounding out 19 kills with just two errors for a .567 hitting percentage. Freshman Alicia Cazemier (MB, Vauxhall, Alberta) knocked down eight of her season-high 13 kills to lead the Yellowjackets in the second game.

Western had a chance to close the match in the fourth game, leading as late as 19-18. Yellowjacket sophomore Jessica Bratton (OH, Casper, WY) recorded five kills over the Jackets' final 11 points of the game to lead the comeback and force a fifth game. Bratton finished with 18 kills and a .340 hitting percentage.

Neither team led by more than two points throughout most of the fifth game until Western used a three point run to break a 9-9 deadlock and take a 12-9 lead. The Yellowjackets rallied to within a point twice over the final three points, but couldn't manage a tie. Jennifer Snowbarger (Oskaloosa, IA/Oskaloosa High School)'s kill on match point provided the final margin.

The Mustangs' Liz Narkon led all players with 26 kills. She leads the PacWest in kills, averaging 4.88 per game. Snowbarger added 18 kills, and Suzanne Bruchhauser (Glendale, AZ/Independence High School) finished with 15. Meghan Watson (Kailua, HI/Kailua High School) added a dozen kills and 24 digs. Setter Courtney Heiser (Tempe, AZ/Marcos de Niza High School) handed out 67 assists.

The Yellowjackets' Andrea Donahue (Sr., MB, Whitefish, MT) knocked down a team-high 20 kills with a .528 hitting percentage. She ranks second in the PacWest with a .454 season hitting percentage.

Along with her 19 kills, Munro picked up a match-high 24 digs. She leads the conference in digs and ranks fourth for kills.

Natalie Bills (So., S, Provo, UT) continued her steady play in guiding the Yellowjacket offense with 60 assists. She also had 15 digs. Bills leads the PacWest in assists at 13.32 per game.

The Yellowjackets and Mustangs square off again Saturday night at 7:00 p.m. in Alterowitz Gymnasium. The match will count as a non-conference match.