Montana State Spikers Fall to Lumberjacks

Thursday, September 15

Flagstaff, AZ

7:00 PM

Montana State University

NORTHERN ARIZONA

Sophomore Sarah Horton

Photo by: R. Dean Hendrickson

9/15/2011 10:42:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

By: Tom Schulz

Montana State opened its Big Sky Conference schedule against undefeated Northern Arizona and gave the Lumberjacks all they could handle for two sets, before falling to NAU 25-20, 25-22, 25-12, Thursday night in the Rolle Activity Center.

Montana State (0-11, 0-1) was led by sophomore Sarah Horton with 11 kills, a .304 attack mark and six digs. True freshman Kasey Schlatter dished out 27 assists and added seven digs and three blocks, while libero Nicole Baker posted a match-high 11 digs.

“We played well against a very solid NAU team,” said MSU head coach Sara Schaub. “We asked our defense to step up and they did. We were digging balls that we have not in the past.

“Now, our offense needs to step up.”

The Bobcats held a 17-15 advantage in the opening set and held a 20-19 lead before Northern Arizona (10-0, 1-0) scored six unanswered points for the win. In the second stanza, MSU took a 20-19 margin on a Horton kill. With the set tied at 22-all, the Lumberjacks reeled off three points, winning on back-to-back Bobcat hitting miscues.

The final set belonged to NAU as the Lumberjacks outhit MSU .320 to -.067.

Sydney Kemper guided Northern Arizona with eight kills, a .800 attack mark and four blocks.

MSU will play at Northern Colorado on Saturday night.