Bobcat Spikers Open Season at Bluejay Invitational
8/23/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
The Opener:
The 2007 edition of Montana State volleyball will open its season at the Bluejay Invitational hosted by Creighton University, Aug. 24-25 in Omaha, Neb. Following its matches at CU, the Bobcats will travel north to Brookings, SD for a match against South Dakota State, Aug. 27 at 7 p.m. (CST).
The Bluejay Invitational:
The Bobcats will open its season against Middle Tennessee State in the opening match of the Creighton-Bluejay Invitational on Friday, Aug. 24 at 10 a.m. (MST). MSU will play the second of two matches on Friday against Stephen F. Austin at 4 p.m. Montana State will conclude the tournament against the Bluejays, Saturday, Aug. 25 at 9:30 a.m. Matches will be played at the Omaha Civic Auditorium.
Scouting The Opponents:
Middle Tennessee State: The Blue Raiders posted a 27-8 overall mark and a 14-3 record in Sun Belt Conference action, last fall. MTSU captured the Sun Belt title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. The Blue Raiders are coached by Matt Peck and return four starters from last year’s squad, including Ashley Adams, who averaged 4.45 kills per game. The match with Montana State will be the first contest between the two teams.
Stephen F. Austin: The Ladyjacks of Stephen F. Austin posted a 31-4 overall mark and a 16-0 Southland Conference slate. SFA advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, after upending Alabama in the opening round. The Ladyjacks are coached by Debbie Humphreys and return five starters from last year’s team, incluidng setter JJ Jones, who dished out 12.89 apg. The match with Montana State will be the first contest between the two teams.
Creighton: The Bluejays recorded a 21-10 overall mark and a 12-6 Missouri Valley slate, last fall. Creighton returns all six starters from a squad that posted a school record 21 victories. The Bluejays are coached by Kirsten Bernthal Booth and are led on the floor by middle blocker Kelly Goc, who averaged 3.94 kills. Creighton and Montana State met for the first time last fall in Bozeman. The Bluejays defeated the Bobcats 3-0 en route to the Holiday Inn Classic title.
South Dakota State: The Jackrabbits notched a 22-13 overall mark playing as an Independent, last fall. SDSU is coached by Andrew Palieo and are led on the court by Kristina Martin, who is closing in on becoming South Dakota State’s all-time kills leader.
FROM THE PINE:
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 nine 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 Erin Naipo and Steve Huntingdale. Naipo, a 2002 graduate of Dartmouth College, was a four-year letterwinner and team captain for the Big Green. She is in her third year at MSU and previously served as assistant coach at Spokane Community College. Huntingdale is in his first season at Montana State, after serving as a volunteer assistant, last fall. Huntingdale is a former Colorado High School Volleyball Coach of the Year (2002, 2003).
CAT TRACKS:
As the Bobcats head out on the road to begin their 2007 campaign, they will be without the services of senior Raelene Purnell. Purnell will not be with the squad this fall...senior Monique Schaal, a transfer from the University of Texas Pan American joined the Bobcats in late summer. Originally from Twin Falls, Idaho, Schaal played her first two seasons at the College of Southern Idaho. She was a member of CSI’s National Junior College championship team...All four teams that the Bobcats face this weekend won over 20 matches last year, and two squads advanced to the NCAA Tournament, including Stephen F. Austin, who advanced to the second-round after defeating Alabama...Over half (7 of 14) of MSU’s players on this season’s roster are freshmen...Junior Laura Viren will be heading back to familiar territory this weekend. The native of Minnesota returns as Montana State’s top kill leader, after averaging 2.50 kill per game...After sharing setting duties with Kami Buettner last fall, Sarah Allen will get the starting nod. She averaged 5.95 apg last season.
For this week's full release, click on the 'PDF Available' link on the top of the page.
The 2007 edition of Montana State volleyball will open its season at the Bluejay Invitational hosted by Creighton University, Aug. 24-25 in Omaha, Neb. Following its matches at CU, the Bobcats will travel north to Brookings, SD for a match against South Dakota State, Aug. 27 at 7 p.m. (CST).
The Bluejay Invitational:
The Bobcats will open its season against Middle Tennessee State in the opening match of the Creighton-Bluejay Invitational on Friday, Aug. 24 at 10 a.m. (MST). MSU will play the second of two matches on Friday against Stephen F. Austin at 4 p.m. Montana State will conclude the tournament against the Bluejays, Saturday, Aug. 25 at 9:30 a.m. Matches will be played at the Omaha Civic Auditorium.
Scouting The Opponents:
Middle Tennessee State: The Blue Raiders posted a 27-8 overall mark and a 14-3 record in Sun Belt Conference action, last fall. MTSU captured the Sun Belt title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. The Blue Raiders are coached by Matt Peck and return four starters from last year’s squad, including Ashley Adams, who averaged 4.45 kills per game. The match with Montana State will be the first contest between the two teams.
Stephen F. Austin: The Ladyjacks of Stephen F. Austin posted a 31-4 overall mark and a 16-0 Southland Conference slate. SFA advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, after upending Alabama in the opening round. The Ladyjacks are coached by Debbie Humphreys and return five starters from last year’s team, incluidng setter JJ Jones, who dished out 12.89 apg. The match with Montana State will be the first contest between the two teams.
Creighton: The Bluejays recorded a 21-10 overall mark and a 12-6 Missouri Valley slate, last fall. Creighton returns all six starters from a squad that posted a school record 21 victories. The Bluejays are coached by Kirsten Bernthal Booth and are led on the floor by middle blocker Kelly Goc, who averaged 3.94 kills. Creighton and Montana State met for the first time last fall in Bozeman. The Bluejays defeated the Bobcats 3-0 en route to the Holiday Inn Classic title.
South Dakota State: The Jackrabbits notched a 22-13 overall mark playing as an Independent, last fall. SDSU is coached by Andrew Palieo and are led on the court by Kristina Martin, who is closing in on becoming South Dakota State’s all-time kills leader.
FROM THE PINE:
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 nine 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 Erin Naipo and Steve Huntingdale. Naipo, a 2002 graduate of Dartmouth College, was a four-year letterwinner and team captain for the Big Green. She is in her third year at MSU and previously served as assistant coach at Spokane Community College. Huntingdale is in his first season at Montana State, after serving as a volunteer assistant, last fall. Huntingdale is a former Colorado High School Volleyball Coach of the Year (2002, 2003).
CAT TRACKS:
As the Bobcats head out on the road to begin their 2007 campaign, they will be without the services of senior Raelene Purnell. Purnell will not be with the squad this fall...senior Monique Schaal, a transfer from the University of Texas Pan American joined the Bobcats in late summer. Originally from Twin Falls, Idaho, Schaal played her first two seasons at the College of Southern Idaho. She was a member of CSI’s National Junior College championship team...All four teams that the Bobcats face this weekend won over 20 matches last year, and two squads advanced to the NCAA Tournament, including Stephen F. Austin, who advanced to the second-round after defeating Alabama...Over half (7 of 14) of MSU’s players on this season’s roster are freshmen...Junior Laura Viren will be heading back to familiar territory this weekend. The native of Minnesota returns as Montana State’s top kill leader, after averaging 2.50 kill per game...After sharing setting duties with Kami Buettner last fall, Sarah Allen will get the starting nod. She averaged 5.95 apg last season.
For this week's full release, click on the 'PDF Available' link on the top of the page.
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