Saturday, October 15
Bozeman
7:00 PM
Montana State University
vs
SACRAMENTO STATE
Photo by: R. Dean Hendrickson
Bobcat Spikers Host Sacramento State, Seattle
10/13/2011 1:41:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
The Montana State volleyball team- fresh off its road sweep of Idaho State and Weber State- returns to the friendly confines of Shroyer Gym this weekend for a pair of matches.
Click here for this week's complete volleyball release (pdf)
DIG PINK:
The Montana State volleyball team- fresh off its road sweep of Idaho State and Weber State- returns to the friendly confines of Shroyer Gym this weekend for a pair of matches. In its only Big Sky Conference match of the weekend, the Bobcats will host league-leading Sacramento State on Saturday, Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. Montana State's match against the Hornets is the annual 'DIG PINK' contest for breast cancer awareness. The Bobcats will conclude weekend play with a non-conference match on Sunday against Seattle University at 1 p.m.
THAT WAS THE WEEK THAT WAS:
For the first time since the inception of women's sports in the Big Sky Conference (1988), the Montana State volleyball squad went on the road and swept its Idaho State-Weber State road trip. It also marked MSU's first road sweep since sweeping the Portland State-Eastern Washington trip in 2001. MSU's 25-18, 25-19, 19-25, 15-25, 16-14 win over Idaho State last Friday snapped a 24-match losing streak and a 13-match Big Sky Conference slide. MSU was paced by Sarah Horton and Rachelle Allen with 12 and ten kills, respectively. On Saturday, the Bobcats won another five-set thriller with a 23-25, 25-15, 25-21, 16-25, 16-14 win over Weber State.
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
*Rachelle Allen - 6-0, Sr., Outside Hitter, Longmont, Colorado
Allen averaged 3.10 kills and 2.00 digs per set, while hitting .264 from the field to help pace the Bobcats last weekend...her back-to-back kills in the fifth set gave MSU the win at Weber State...against the Wildcats, Allen recorded a career-high 21 kills, while registering a .403 attack mark.
*Sarah Horton, 6-0, So., Outside Hitter, Fresno, California
Sarah Horton was in double-figure kills in both matches last weekend...she led MSU with a team-high 12 kills in the victory over Idaho State and added 15 kills against Weber State...also averaged 1.80 digs on the weekend...in addition, added five total blocks.
THE SCOUTING REPORT:
Winners of six straight, Sacramento State (11-9, 5-1) plays Montana on Friday and Montana State on Saturday. The Hornets have defeated five straight league opponents with three of those coming via 3-0 sweeps, including wins over Portland State and Eastern Washington, last weekend. The streak has catapulted Sacramento State into a two-way tie for first place in the Big Sky standings with Northern Colorado. Middle blocker Kelsey Elston has hit better than .410 in each of the team's last five matches against Big Sky teams, and is now hitting a conference-best .421 this year. Seattle is 4-13 overall as an independent. The Redhawks have defeated Eastern Washington, Gonzaga, Air Force and Boise State this season. SU is led by Cristin Richards, who averages 4.32 kills per set.
QUICK SETS:
Montana State libero Nicole Baker is currently ranked fourth overall in the Big Sky averaging 4.36 digs per set...Baker's 20 saves against Montana is the highest total in the Big Sky Conference for a three-set match...in addition, Baker is the top sophomore in the Big Sky Conference in terms of digs with a 4.36 average...the Bobcats snapped its 24-match losing streak and a 13-match Big Sky Conference slide last weekend...Montana State's last Big Sky home victory came on Oct. 15, 2010 with a 3-0 sweep of Sacramento State on Dig Pink night...Senior Chelsea Oemcke is currently ranked tenth in the Big Sky Conference in hitting percentage with a .268 attack mark...junior setter Jennifer Lundquist is currently listed ninth in the Big Sky Conference hitting .274 from the floor...she is also ranked fifth in the league averaging 8.61 assists per set.
ALL-TIME SERIES:
Sacramento State is 34-6 all-time against Montana State, including an 11-5 mark in Bozeman. The Bobcats swept the Hornets in last year's matchup in Bozeman. Seattle holds a 2-0 advantage in its all-time series with Montana State. The Redhawks defeated the Bobcats 25-14, 25-22, 25-21 last fall in the Emerald City.
GOLD DIGGER:
Montana State sophomore libero Nicole Baker has been in double-digit digs in 16 of MSU's 17 matches this season. She is averaging 4.36 digs per set, which ranks fourth in the Big Sky. Baker needs just 65 more digs to break into Montana State's all-time top 10 for a single-season.
DIGGING MACHINES:
The one statistical area that has seen improvement this season for the Bobcats is on defense. As a team, Montana State is averaging 14.10 digs per set. In all, four Bobcats have posted 125 or more digs so far this fall. Libero Nicole Baker has notched 292 saves and is followed by Rachelle Allen (160), Kasey Schlatter (139) and Sarah Horton (129).
FINALLY A BREAKTHROUGH:
Heading into last weekend's play, Montana State was 0-4 in five-set matches. The 'Cats had also dropped numerous sets (8) in which they were the first to 20 points. MSU got over the hump last weekend, winning two five-set thrillers by identical 16-14 scores. The Bobcats held a 14-10 advantage in the fifth against Idaho State and a 14-12 lead vs. Weber State and held on for the victories.
CO-CAPTAINS:
Seniors Rachelle Allen and Alex Penewell have been named co-captains for the 2011 season. Allen, who was an All Big Sky Conference Honorable Mention pick last fall, is averaging 2.52 kills and 2.67 digs per set, while Penewell, who was the Big Sky Conference Newcomer of the Year last season, is chipping in 1.21 kills and has posted 29 total blocks.
SPREADING THE LOVE:
Eight Bobcats are currently averaging anywhere from 1.23 - 2.59 kills per set. The balanced attack is led by Sarah Horton, who is averaging a team-best 2.59 kps. Rachelle Allen is also over the 2.00 kill plateau at 2.52 per stanza.
DIG PINK:
The Montana State volleyball team- fresh off its road sweep of Idaho State and Weber State- returns to the friendly confines of Shroyer Gym this weekend for a pair of matches. In its only Big Sky Conference match of the weekend, the Bobcats will host league-leading Sacramento State on Saturday, Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. Montana State's match against the Hornets is the annual 'DIG PINK' contest for breast cancer awareness. The Bobcats will conclude weekend play with a non-conference match on Sunday against Seattle University at 1 p.m.
THAT WAS THE WEEK THAT WAS:
For the first time since the inception of women's sports in the Big Sky Conference (1988), the Montana State volleyball squad went on the road and swept its Idaho State-Weber State road trip. It also marked MSU's first road sweep since sweeping the Portland State-Eastern Washington trip in 2001. MSU's 25-18, 25-19, 19-25, 15-25, 16-14 win over Idaho State last Friday snapped a 24-match losing streak and a 13-match Big Sky Conference slide. MSU was paced by Sarah Horton and Rachelle Allen with 12 and ten kills, respectively. On Saturday, the Bobcats won another five-set thriller with a 23-25, 25-15, 25-21, 16-25, 16-14 win over Weber State.
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
*Rachelle Allen - 6-0, Sr., Outside Hitter, Longmont, Colorado
Allen averaged 3.10 kills and 2.00 digs per set, while hitting .264 from the field to help pace the Bobcats last weekend...her back-to-back kills in the fifth set gave MSU the win at Weber State...against the Wildcats, Allen recorded a career-high 21 kills, while registering a .403 attack mark.
*Sarah Horton, 6-0, So., Outside Hitter, Fresno, California
Sarah Horton was in double-figure kills in both matches last weekend...she led MSU with a team-high 12 kills in the victory over Idaho State and added 15 kills against Weber State...also averaged 1.80 digs on the weekend...in addition, added five total blocks.
THE SCOUTING REPORT:
Winners of six straight, Sacramento State (11-9, 5-1) plays Montana on Friday and Montana State on Saturday. The Hornets have defeated five straight league opponents with three of those coming via 3-0 sweeps, including wins over Portland State and Eastern Washington, last weekend. The streak has catapulted Sacramento State into a two-way tie for first place in the Big Sky standings with Northern Colorado. Middle blocker Kelsey Elston has hit better than .410 in each of the team's last five matches against Big Sky teams, and is now hitting a conference-best .421 this year. Seattle is 4-13 overall as an independent. The Redhawks have defeated Eastern Washington, Gonzaga, Air Force and Boise State this season. SU is led by Cristin Richards, who averages 4.32 kills per set.
QUICK SETS:
Montana State libero Nicole Baker is currently ranked fourth overall in the Big Sky averaging 4.36 digs per set...Baker's 20 saves against Montana is the highest total in the Big Sky Conference for a three-set match...in addition, Baker is the top sophomore in the Big Sky Conference in terms of digs with a 4.36 average...the Bobcats snapped its 24-match losing streak and a 13-match Big Sky Conference slide last weekend...Montana State's last Big Sky home victory came on Oct. 15, 2010 with a 3-0 sweep of Sacramento State on Dig Pink night...Senior Chelsea Oemcke is currently ranked tenth in the Big Sky Conference in hitting percentage with a .268 attack mark...junior setter Jennifer Lundquist is currently listed ninth in the Big Sky Conference hitting .274 from the floor...she is also ranked fifth in the league averaging 8.61 assists per set.
ALL-TIME SERIES:
Sacramento State is 34-6 all-time against Montana State, including an 11-5 mark in Bozeman. The Bobcats swept the Hornets in last year's matchup in Bozeman. Seattle holds a 2-0 advantage in its all-time series with Montana State. The Redhawks defeated the Bobcats 25-14, 25-22, 25-21 last fall in the Emerald City.
GOLD DIGGER:
Montana State sophomore libero Nicole Baker has been in double-digit digs in 16 of MSU's 17 matches this season. She is averaging 4.36 digs per set, which ranks fourth in the Big Sky. Baker needs just 65 more digs to break into Montana State's all-time top 10 for a single-season.
DIGGING MACHINES:
The one statistical area that has seen improvement this season for the Bobcats is on defense. As a team, Montana State is averaging 14.10 digs per set. In all, four Bobcats have posted 125 or more digs so far this fall. Libero Nicole Baker has notched 292 saves and is followed by Rachelle Allen (160), Kasey Schlatter (139) and Sarah Horton (129).
FINALLY A BREAKTHROUGH:
Heading into last weekend's play, Montana State was 0-4 in five-set matches. The 'Cats had also dropped numerous sets (8) in which they were the first to 20 points. MSU got over the hump last weekend, winning two five-set thrillers by identical 16-14 scores. The Bobcats held a 14-10 advantage in the fifth against Idaho State and a 14-12 lead vs. Weber State and held on for the victories.
CO-CAPTAINS:
Seniors Rachelle Allen and Alex Penewell have been named co-captains for the 2011 season. Allen, who was an All Big Sky Conference Honorable Mention pick last fall, is averaging 2.52 kills and 2.67 digs per set, while Penewell, who was the Big Sky Conference Newcomer of the Year last season, is chipping in 1.21 kills and has posted 29 total blocks.
SPREADING THE LOVE:
Eight Bobcats are currently averaging anywhere from 1.23 - 2.59 kills per set. The balanced attack is led by Sarah Horton, who is averaging a team-best 2.59 kps. Rachelle Allen is also over the 2.00 kill plateau at 2.52 per stanza.
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