NAMPA, Idaho – The last four times the Northwest Nazarene volleyball team was staring at a fifth set, they had won.

On Saturday against Montana State Billings that streak came to an end.

The Nighthawks lost 21-25, 25-23, 26-28, 25-23, 17-15 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action.

"I'm not too sure what went wrong," outside hitter Brooke Foster said. "We were playing really aggressive. We talk about keeping a calm presence on the court during fifth sets because it can kind of get crazy and I think we did that.

"It's very frustrating when you put everything you think you have and you still don't know why it went wrong."

The Nighthawks (7-8 overall, 3-5 GNAC) were tied 23-23 at the end of the fourth set, but couldn't find a way to get that victory. In the fifth set, they led 9-7 and had two match points but the Yellowjackets (5-12, 3-5) rallied with three consecutive points to finish off the win.

"Five-set matches just magnify the mistakes as you are going through a match," NNU coach Doug English said. "I thought we played really clean and really well. Our passing got better as the match went on and our offense got better. We put ourselves in a position to win and we just didn't pull it out."

The Nighthawks lost their first five-set match of the season to Colorado Christian in the season opener. Since then, they defeated Sonoma State, Notre Dame de Namur, Alaska and Central Washington in the marathon matches.

Last season, NNU was 1-6 in five setters.

"We have a lot of love on our team," Foster said of the difference this year and last. "Not that we didn't last year, but we love each other so much and we play for each other. I'm really proud of how we played today regardless that we lost.

"We were playing with intention and we were playing aggressive and I think that is something we are going to take into our next games."

Foster had a career-high 24 kills, while hitting .224. She added 15 digs, three blocks and two aces. Abbey Blum had 12 kills and 13 digs, Tayler Markland had 11 kills and 3.5 blocks, Natalie Sullivan had 10 kills and two blocks and Lexi Ward had seven kills and two blocks. Megan Nelson had 56 assists and three aces and Kayla Sale had 23 digs.

"They challenged Brooke in serve receive all night," English said. "After Set 1, she passed great and for her to take as many swings as she did … she had a great match. That is the match we hope to have from Brooke."

Foster's previous career high in kills was 19, set earlier this season.

The Nighthawks host Concordia at 7 p.m. Thursday.