Montana State University
Robert Morris
Bobcat Spikers Open in Steel City
8/26/2010 2:46:22 PM | Women's Volleyball
The 2010 edition of Montana State volleyball will open its season at the Robert Morris/Duquesne Invite in Pittsburgh.
The Montana State volleyball team will compete in the 2010 Courtyard by Marriott Invitational this weekend in Pittsburgh, Penn. The invitational will be hosted by Robert Morris and Duquesne.
The Bobcats, who are coming off a 3-23 season last fall, will open tournament play against Radford on Friday a 1 p.m. (MST) on the Robert Morris campus. MSU will conclude Friday play against RMU at 5 p.m.
On Saturday, MSU will move to the Duquesne campus to face Morgan State at 1 p.m., before ending the invitational against the Dukes at 5 p.m.
“We're looking forward to the opener,” said MSU third-year head coach Sara Schaub. “We feel we match up pretty well with all four teams we'll be facing.
“This weekend will be more for finding out who we are and establishing an identity,” Schaub said. “We need to come away from this weekend a better team than what we were at the beginning of the week.”
MSU returns two starters in Rachelle Allen and Jodeen Rademacher, along with senior libero Meghan Albiston. Allen, a senior co-captain, recorded 87 kills and 191 digs last fall, while Rademacher, a senior outside hitter, posted 169 kills and 119 digs. Albiston, also a senior co-captain, is one of the top defensive players in Montana State history. Last fall, she tallied 435 digs, which was the fourth highest single-season total in Bobcat history.
Duquesne is the only program in this weekend's tournament to have a winning record last season. The Dukes went 16-14 overall and return four starters this year. Robert Morris, who competes in the Northeastern Conference, went 14-20 a year ago and returns five members to its starting rotation.
MSU will face Radford and Morgan State on neutral ground. Radford was 12-21 overall last season and return all six starters, while Morgan State posted a 9-22 mark and return five players to its starting line-up.
Following this weekend action, the Bobcats will travel to the Indiana State tournament Sept. 3-4 in Terre Haute.
