Bobcat Spikers head to Arizona
9/7/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA FOUR POINTS CLASSIC:
The Montana State University volleyball team will continue its road travels with a stop in Tucson, Ariz., this weekend for the Arizona Four Points Classic. Competing along with the Bobcats will be No. 21 Arizona, Rice and Bradley. Matches will be played in the McKale Center (14,545).
Friday, Sept. 8
Montana State vs. Rice 12:30 p.m.
Montana State vs. #21 Arizona 7 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 9
Montana State vs. Bradley 4:30 p.m.
(Time listed is at site)
The Bobcats open the Four Points Classic against Rice University on Friday. The Owls are currently are 3-3 overall, after going 2-1 last weekend in Houston. MSU and Rice have met only once, with the Owls taking a 3-0 decision on Sept. 26, 1986. Arizona is ranked No. 21 in this week’s CSTV/AVCA Top 25 Coaches poll. The Wildcats are 5-1 overall. Last weekend, UA defeated No. 12 Louisville, and dropped its only match of the fall to Dayton. Arizona and MSU have met once, with the Wildcats taking a 2-0 decision on Sept. 28, 1978. Bradley is 3-3 overall, with losses coming to #16 Purdue, Clemson and Cincinnati. The Bobcats and Braves have also just met once, with MSU winning on Sept. 2, 1989 by a 3-2 margin at the Utah Invitational.
TOURNEY TALK:
The Bobcats will face three outstanding offensive players this weekend at the Arizona-Four Points Classic- one from each team represented. Rice features Karyn Morgan, a 5-foot-10 outside hitter, who is averaing 4.30 kills per game. She has 27 kills against Illinois State, last weekend. Bradley’s Kelly Niemeyer is averaging 4.05 kills per contest. The 5-foot-11 outside hitter had 27 kills against Western Illinois. Arizona boasts 6-foot-2 outside hitter Brooke Buringrud, who is averaging 3.67 kills per game.
RECAPPING VARNEY’S-KSU INVITATIONAL:
Montana State opened the Varney’s-Kansas State Invitational with a 30-22, 27-30, 30-28, 30-22 win over Lipscomb. Senior Kim Stonehouse matched a career-high with 24 kills against the Lady Bison. Sophomore Laura Viren also had a strong outing against Lipscomb with 17 kills, 13 digs and two blocks. On Saturday, the Bobcats dropped a pair of matches, losing to No. 25 Kansas State 22-30, 30-25, 30-14, 30-7 and Wichita State 30-22, 30-16, 30-18. Against KSU, Viren notched a team-high ten kills, while Kandice Kelly chipped in 12 digs. Against the Shockers, Raelene Purnell paced MSU with seven kills and six blocks. The ‘Cats had four players in double-digit digs.
TOP ‘CAT:
Junior Raelene Purnell was named Montana State’s Player of the Week for the second consecutive time. The 6-1 middle blocker from Red Deer, Alberta, averaged 1.55 kills per game and had a strong weekend at the net, averaging a team-best 1.64 blocks per outing. In all, she totaled 17 kills, 18 blocks, four aces and three digs. Purnell had seven kills and six blocks against Wichita State.
FROM THE PINE-- (54-38/4YRS, 24-18 BIG SKY):
Miya Malauulu became Montana State’s seventh head coach at the conclusion of the 2002 season. Since then, she has put her own fingerprint on a Bobcat program that has produced four 20-win seasons in the last eight years. Prior to being named head coach, the 1998 graduate of Oregon State University, served as an assistant under Dave Gantt for five seasons. Malauulu came to Bozeman after a successful stint playing for the Beavers. A native of Carson, Calif., she played at OSU from 1994-97. She still holds numerous records at Oregon State and currently ranks fourth all-time in PAC-10 history with 5,368 assists. A two-time OSU most valuable player and an unprecendented four-time Beaver captain, she prepped at Bishop Montgomery High School and played for national club power NIKE-Ichiban, where she garnered USVBA Player of the Year kudos. Malauulu is joined on the bench this season by assistant coaches Lisa Mimick and Erin Naipo. Mimick, a former All-Big XII first-team selection at Kansas State, begins her third season at MSU. She previously served as an assistant coach at SW Minnesota State in Marshall. Naipo, a 2002 graduate of Dartmouth College, was a four-year letterwinner and team captain for the Big Green. She is in her second year at MSU and previously served as assistant coach at Spokane Community College.
2005: A YEAR IN REVIEW:
The Bobcats finished 15-15 overall and 7-7 in Big Sky Conference action. MSU played its toughest schedule in school history, going up against eight teams that advanced to the NCAA Tournament, including eventual national champion Washington. The Bobcats also hosted Missouri and Wisconsin- two squads that advanced to the Elite Eight. Seniors Megan Zanto and Meggie Malyurek concluded their careers, each going over the 1,000 kill plateau. Junior Kandice Kelly became MSU’s all-time digs leader.
CAT TRACKS:
The Bobcats return eight letterwinners from last season, including four starters: Kim Stonehouse, Angela Wiebe, Laura Viren and Kami Buettner...Stonehouse recorded 371 kills and was ranked among the top ten in the Big Sky Conference...Stonehouse was a second-team All-Big Sky pick last season...MSU finished 25th in the nation in attendance, averaging 1,260 fans per game...The Bobcats have been ranked among the nation’s top 40 squads in blocking for six consecutive seasons.
SHE’S A STONEHOUSE:
Senior Kim Stonehouse leads the Bobcats offensively, after the first two weeks of play. The 6-foot outside hitter from Red Deer, Alberta, is averaging 3.29 kills per game, while hitting .199 from the field. Last season, Stonehouse was a second-team All-Big Sky Conference selection, after averaging 3.40 kills with a .190 attack mark. Her current kills per game average ranks her ninth in the league. Stonehouse tied a career-high in Montana State’s four-game win over Lipscomb with 24 kills.
DIG IT:
With each dig this fall, Kandice Kelly will put a lot of distance between herself and older sister Kamber. In the final match of the 2005 season, Kandice surpassed Kamber as MSU’s all-time career digs leader. Kandice Kelly currently sits atop the listings with 1,343 saves, while Kamber (2001-04) has a four-year total of 1,262. Last weekend, Montana State’s starting libero notched 43 digs (3.91), while adding three service aces. Kelly posted a weekend best 20 digs in MSU’s 3-1 win over Lipscomb. Kandice Kelly has played in 321 games at Montana State and has a career dig average of 4.18 per game, which ranks her fifth all-time in Big Sky Conference history. The 5-foot-6 native of Roundup is MSU’s first and only libero in the history of the Bobcat program. She notched a career-high 31 digs against Charleston on Sept. 3, 2004. Kandice is the daughter of Laurie Kelly, who is currently the head women’s volleyball coach at Miles City (MT) Community College.
WHEN YOU THINK OF LAURA:
Sophomore Laura Viren had a strong weekend for the Bobcats. The 6-foot outside hitter from Prior Lake, Minn., recorded 17 kills, 13 digs, two aces and two blocks to lift MSU past Lipscomb. The double-double was her first of the season. In all, she combined for 31 kills (2.82 kpg), 36 digs (3.27), two service aces and five total blocks. Viren, who was named to the All-Big Sky Conference Tournament team last season as a freshman, is hitting .155 from the floor after two weeks of action. She is currently second on the team in kills and digs, and is third in blocking and fourth in aces.
WIEBE BE BLOCKIN’:
Senior middle blocker Angela Wiebe posted a solid performance at the Varney’s-Kansas State Invitational, which culminated in her being named to the all-tournament team. The 6-foot-1 native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, notched 20 kills (1.82 kpg) and 12 blocks (1.09 bpg), while hitting .208 from the field. Wiebe’s current .95 blocks per game average is just below her career blocks average of 1.12 per game. Her current attack mark of .243 ranks second best on the Bobcat squad.
PATTI LOU:
Junior right-side hitter Patti Anderson has played in all 21 games for the Bobcats this season. The 5-foot-11 native of Deer Lodge, who struggled in the three matches at the 12th Annual Holiday Inn Classis two weeks ago, got her ship turned around last weekend in Manhattan, Kansas. Over the course of Montana State’s three matches, Anderson hit a team-high .324 from the field. She also tallied 13 kills (1.18 kpg), 25 digs (2.27 dpg), seven blocks and two service aces.
DISHIN’ THE ROCK:
Senior setter Kami Buettner averaged 6.55 assists per game at the Varney’s-Kansas State Invitational. The 5-foot-9 native of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan had her best outing of the weekend against Lipscomb connecting for 35 assists, while adding six digs. Buettner also posted a double-double against Wichita State with 22 assists and 12 digs. Buettner’s current 7.62 assists per game average ranks her sixth in the Big Sky Conference.
SERVING NOTICE:
Freshman Allyce Bebensee, who came off the bench to spark the Bobcats in their win over Florida Atlantic two weeks ago, recorded 14 digs (1.75 dpg) in Kansas. The 5-foot-7 native of Thornton, Colo., also added two aces. Her total of five aces are second on the team.
BURGER-TIME:
Sophomore Kaytlin Van Burger recorded four kills and five blocks on the weekend. The 5-foot-11 native of Bend, Ore., recorded a career-high 4 blocks against No. 21 Kansas St.
For this week's cmplete volleyball release, click on the 'PDF Version Available' link at the top of this page.
The Montana State University volleyball team will continue its road travels with a stop in Tucson, Ariz., this weekend for the Arizona Four Points Classic. Competing along with the Bobcats will be No. 21 Arizona, Rice and Bradley. Matches will be played in the McKale Center (14,545).
Friday, Sept. 8
Montana State vs. Rice 12:30 p.m.
Montana State vs. #21 Arizona 7 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 9
Montana State vs. Bradley 4:30 p.m.
(Time listed is at site)
The Bobcats open the Four Points Classic against Rice University on Friday. The Owls are currently are 3-3 overall, after going 2-1 last weekend in Houston. MSU and Rice have met only once, with the Owls taking a 3-0 decision on Sept. 26, 1986. Arizona is ranked No. 21 in this week’s CSTV/AVCA Top 25 Coaches poll. The Wildcats are 5-1 overall. Last weekend, UA defeated No. 12 Louisville, and dropped its only match of the fall to Dayton. Arizona and MSU have met once, with the Wildcats taking a 2-0 decision on Sept. 28, 1978. Bradley is 3-3 overall, with losses coming to #16 Purdue, Clemson and Cincinnati. The Bobcats and Braves have also just met once, with MSU winning on Sept. 2, 1989 by a 3-2 margin at the Utah Invitational.
TOURNEY TALK:
The Bobcats will face three outstanding offensive players this weekend at the Arizona-Four Points Classic- one from each team represented. Rice features Karyn Morgan, a 5-foot-10 outside hitter, who is averaing 4.30 kills per game. She has 27 kills against Illinois State, last weekend. Bradley’s Kelly Niemeyer is averaging 4.05 kills per contest. The 5-foot-11 outside hitter had 27 kills against Western Illinois. Arizona boasts 6-foot-2 outside hitter Brooke Buringrud, who is averaging 3.67 kills per game.
RECAPPING VARNEY’S-KSU INVITATIONAL:
Montana State opened the Varney’s-Kansas State Invitational with a 30-22, 27-30, 30-28, 30-22 win over Lipscomb. Senior Kim Stonehouse matched a career-high with 24 kills against the Lady Bison. Sophomore Laura Viren also had a strong outing against Lipscomb with 17 kills, 13 digs and two blocks. On Saturday, the Bobcats dropped a pair of matches, losing to No. 25 Kansas State 22-30, 30-25, 30-14, 30-7 and Wichita State 30-22, 30-16, 30-18. Against KSU, Viren notched a team-high ten kills, while Kandice Kelly chipped in 12 digs. Against the Shockers, Raelene Purnell paced MSU with seven kills and six blocks. The ‘Cats had four players in double-digit digs.
TOP ‘CAT:
Junior Raelene Purnell was named Montana State’s Player of the Week for the second consecutive time. The 6-1 middle blocker from Red Deer, Alberta, averaged 1.55 kills per game and had a strong weekend at the net, averaging a team-best 1.64 blocks per outing. In all, she totaled 17 kills, 18 blocks, four aces and three digs. Purnell had seven kills and six blocks against Wichita State.
FROM THE PINE-- (54-38/4YRS, 24-18 BIG SKY):
Miya Malauulu became Montana State’s seventh head coach at the conclusion of the 2002 season. Since then, she has put her own fingerprint on a Bobcat program that has produced four 20-win seasons in the last eight years. Prior to being named head coach, the 1998 graduate of Oregon State University, served as an assistant under Dave Gantt for five seasons. Malauulu came to Bozeman after a successful stint playing for the Beavers. A native of Carson, Calif., she played at OSU from 1994-97. She still holds numerous records at Oregon State and currently ranks fourth all-time in PAC-10 history with 5,368 assists. A two-time OSU most valuable player and an unprecendented four-time Beaver captain, she prepped at Bishop Montgomery High School and played for national club power NIKE-Ichiban, where she garnered USVBA Player of the Year kudos. Malauulu is joined on the bench this season by assistant coaches Lisa Mimick and Erin Naipo. Mimick, a former All-Big XII first-team selection at Kansas State, begins her third season at MSU. She previously served as an assistant coach at SW Minnesota State in Marshall. Naipo, a 2002 graduate of Dartmouth College, was a four-year letterwinner and team captain for the Big Green. She is in her second year at MSU and previously served as assistant coach at Spokane Community College.
2005: A YEAR IN REVIEW:
The Bobcats finished 15-15 overall and 7-7 in Big Sky Conference action. MSU played its toughest schedule in school history, going up against eight teams that advanced to the NCAA Tournament, including eventual national champion Washington. The Bobcats also hosted Missouri and Wisconsin- two squads that advanced to the Elite Eight. Seniors Megan Zanto and Meggie Malyurek concluded their careers, each going over the 1,000 kill plateau. Junior Kandice Kelly became MSU’s all-time digs leader.
CAT TRACKS:
The Bobcats return eight letterwinners from last season, including four starters: Kim Stonehouse, Angela Wiebe, Laura Viren and Kami Buettner...Stonehouse recorded 371 kills and was ranked among the top ten in the Big Sky Conference...Stonehouse was a second-team All-Big Sky pick last season...MSU finished 25th in the nation in attendance, averaging 1,260 fans per game...The Bobcats have been ranked among the nation’s top 40 squads in blocking for six consecutive seasons.
SHE’S A STONEHOUSE:
Senior Kim Stonehouse leads the Bobcats offensively, after the first two weeks of play. The 6-foot outside hitter from Red Deer, Alberta, is averaging 3.29 kills per game, while hitting .199 from the field. Last season, Stonehouse was a second-team All-Big Sky Conference selection, after averaging 3.40 kills with a .190 attack mark. Her current kills per game average ranks her ninth in the league. Stonehouse tied a career-high in Montana State’s four-game win over Lipscomb with 24 kills.
DIG IT:
With each dig this fall, Kandice Kelly will put a lot of distance between herself and older sister Kamber. In the final match of the 2005 season, Kandice surpassed Kamber as MSU’s all-time career digs leader. Kandice Kelly currently sits atop the listings with 1,343 saves, while Kamber (2001-04) has a four-year total of 1,262. Last weekend, Montana State’s starting libero notched 43 digs (3.91), while adding three service aces. Kelly posted a weekend best 20 digs in MSU’s 3-1 win over Lipscomb. Kandice Kelly has played in 321 games at Montana State and has a career dig average of 4.18 per game, which ranks her fifth all-time in Big Sky Conference history. The 5-foot-6 native of Roundup is MSU’s first and only libero in the history of the Bobcat program. She notched a career-high 31 digs against Charleston on Sept. 3, 2004. Kandice is the daughter of Laurie Kelly, who is currently the head women’s volleyball coach at Miles City (MT) Community College.
WHEN YOU THINK OF LAURA:
Sophomore Laura Viren had a strong weekend for the Bobcats. The 6-foot outside hitter from Prior Lake, Minn., recorded 17 kills, 13 digs, two aces and two blocks to lift MSU past Lipscomb. The double-double was her first of the season. In all, she combined for 31 kills (2.82 kpg), 36 digs (3.27), two service aces and five total blocks. Viren, who was named to the All-Big Sky Conference Tournament team last season as a freshman, is hitting .155 from the floor after two weeks of action. She is currently second on the team in kills and digs, and is third in blocking and fourth in aces.
WIEBE BE BLOCKIN’:
Senior middle blocker Angela Wiebe posted a solid performance at the Varney’s-Kansas State Invitational, which culminated in her being named to the all-tournament team. The 6-foot-1 native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, notched 20 kills (1.82 kpg) and 12 blocks (1.09 bpg), while hitting .208 from the field. Wiebe’s current .95 blocks per game average is just below her career blocks average of 1.12 per game. Her current attack mark of .243 ranks second best on the Bobcat squad.
PATTI LOU:
Junior right-side hitter Patti Anderson has played in all 21 games for the Bobcats this season. The 5-foot-11 native of Deer Lodge, who struggled in the three matches at the 12th Annual Holiday Inn Classis two weeks ago, got her ship turned around last weekend in Manhattan, Kansas. Over the course of Montana State’s three matches, Anderson hit a team-high .324 from the field. She also tallied 13 kills (1.18 kpg), 25 digs (2.27 dpg), seven blocks and two service aces.
DISHIN’ THE ROCK:
Senior setter Kami Buettner averaged 6.55 assists per game at the Varney’s-Kansas State Invitational. The 5-foot-9 native of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan had her best outing of the weekend against Lipscomb connecting for 35 assists, while adding six digs. Buettner also posted a double-double against Wichita State with 22 assists and 12 digs. Buettner’s current 7.62 assists per game average ranks her sixth in the Big Sky Conference.
SERVING NOTICE:
Freshman Allyce Bebensee, who came off the bench to spark the Bobcats in their win over Florida Atlantic two weeks ago, recorded 14 digs (1.75 dpg) in Kansas. The 5-foot-7 native of Thornton, Colo., also added two aces. Her total of five aces are second on the team.
BURGER-TIME:
Sophomore Kaytlin Van Burger recorded four kills and five blocks on the weekend. The 5-foot-11 native of Bend, Ore., recorded a career-high 4 blocks against No. 21 Kansas St.
For this week's cmplete volleyball release, click on the 'PDF Version Available' link at the top of this page.
Wednesday, June 10
Friday, March 27
Monday, March 23
Friday, March 13
