Friday, October 19
Bozeman
7 p.m.
Montana State University
vs
Northern Colorado
Junior outside hitter Sarah Horton
Photo by: R. Dean Hendrickson
Bobcat Spikers Host Dig Pink Match
10/18/2012 12:41:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
The Montana State volleyball team will look to snap its two-match skid when it hosts Northern Colorado in the annual ‘Dig Pink’ match for breast cancer awareness on Friday, Oct. 19 at 7 p.m. Fans wearing pink on Friday night will be admitted on a $4 ticket. MSU will close out the weekend against the University of North Dakota on Saturday night at 7 p.m. Both matches are slated for Shroyer Gym in the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse.
Click Here for this Week's VB Notes:
GOTTA DIG IT:
The Montana State volleyball team will look to snap its two-match skid when it hosts Northern Colorado in the annual 'Dig Pink' match for breast cancer awareness on Friday, Oct. 19 at 7 p.m. Fans wearing pink on Friday night will be admitted on a $4 ticket. MSU will close out the weekend against the University of North Dakota on Saturday night at 7 p.m. Both matches are slated for Shroyer Gym in the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse.
THIS WEEKEND'S 'CATCH THE 'CATS' OPPORTUNITIES:
Northern Colorado:
www.msubobcats.com - (live stats)
www.americaonesports.com/bigsky.asp - (live web-streaming video)
North Dakota:
www.msubobcats.com - (live stats)
www.americaonesports.com/bigsky.asp - (live web-streaming video)
QUICK RECAP:
The Montana State volleyball team dropped a pair of Big Sky Conference home matches last week, dropping a 3-1 decision to Sacramento State and a nail-biting 3-2 contest to Montana. The two setbacks mark the first time this season the Bobcats have lost back-to-back matches. Against Montana, Sarah Horton fell just three kills shy of breaking the all-time single-match record of 40 kills set by Brandy Anderson on October 3, 1998.
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
* Sarah Horton, 6-0, Junior, Outside Hitter, Fresno, California
Sarah Horton posted one of the best offensive outbursts in Montana State history last weekend as she accumulated 58 kills in back-to-back outings against Sacramento State and Montana. For the two matches, the Fresno, Calif., native averaged 6.44 kills per match, while hitting .270 from the floor. In addition, she added 27 digs (3.00 dps), five blocks and three aces. Her 38 kills against Montana was just three shy of setting a new Montana State kill record.
* Kasey Schlatter, 5-9, Sophomore, Defensive Specialist, Canby, Oregon
Schlatter, who has settled into her role as a defensive specialist, had a strong outing in the backrow for the Bobcats against Sacramento State and Montana. In the two matches, the Canby, Ore., native totaled 21 digs (2.33 dps), while chipping in eight assists, an ace and one kill. Schlatter had a weekend-high 13 saves against Sacramento State.
WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES:
No other team at the NCAA Division I level has moved up the NCAA RPI rankings like Montana State. From the final 2011 RPI ranking to this week's ranking, the Bobcats have moved up a whopping 175 spots. MSU finished last season ranked 304th in the RPI. In this week's listing, Montana State is currently ranked 129. The next best jump of 152 spots belongs to Southern Illinois.
THE SCOUTING REPORT:
Northern Colorado (14-5, 7-3) will be MSU's opponent on Friday night as the Bobcats begin the second-round of Big Sky Conference play. The Bears defeated the Bobcats 25-19, 25-17, 19-25, 25-17 on Sept. 15 in Greeley. MSU was paced in the loss by Eli Svisco and Macy Page with 12 kills apiece, while UNC was led by Kelley Arnold and Tambre Haddock notch 12 winners. Northern Colorado holds a 13-3 advantage in the all-time series with Montana State dating back to 1981. The Bears have won the last 13 straight matches against MSU. MSU's last win over UNC came in 2005. The Bears suffered their first home loss of the season in Big Sky play with a 3-1 defeat against Northern Arizona last Thursday. Northern Colorado bounced back on Saturday with a home sweep over Southern Utah. Andrea Spaustat guided the Bears with 12 kills and a .407 attack mark. North Dakota (10-11, 5-5) will play at Montana on Friday night, before making the trip south on I-90. In their first meeting on Sept. 13 in Grand Forks, the Bobcats rallied for a 19-25, 25-19, 18-25, 25-16, 25-11 victory. Montana State was paced in the win by Sarah Horton with 18 kills, while Page and Taylar Barney added 17 and 12 kills, respectively. UND was led by Ronni Munkeby and Lexi Robinson with 19 and 15 kills, respectively. On the season, the same duo guides North Dakota averaging 3.49 and 2.89 kills. The all-time series between UND and MSU sits at 1-1 overall. Last weekend, North Dakota defeated Southern Utah 3-0, before dropping a 3-0 decision to Northern Arizona in Grand Forks.
WE LIKE IT HERE:
Shroyer Gym, Home of the Bobcats, is one of the toughest venues west of the Mississippi. Over the past few decades, Shroyer Gym and the Bobcat faithful have made Montana State one of the top 50 venues in the nation in terms of attendance. The annual 'Shake Shroyer' match has consistently drawn one of the top crowds in the Pacific Northwest and Big Sky Conference. On Monday, 1,538 fans filed into Shroyer for the annual Cat-Griz clash. MSU's largest attendance in Shroyer occurred as 2,371 spectators witnessed the Bobcats defeat Northern Arizona on Nov. 1, 2003. The largest crowd in the State of Montana and Big Sky Conference history also belongs to the Bobcats as 6,378 fans jammed Worthington Arena on Nov. 15, 2002.
GOLD DIGGER:
Montana State starting libero Nicole Baker established herself as one of the top defensive players in the Big Sky Conference last season, after averaging a whopping 5.0 digs per set in league play. In addition, the Pleasanton, Calif., native recorded 514 digs to set a new Montana State mark for digs in a single-season. The old record of 495 digs had been held by Kandice Kelly since the 2005 campaign. Baker notched a career-best 30 digs against Northern Arizona, last year. Currently, she is averaging a team-best 3.76 digs per set, which ranks fifth among the Big Sky leaders. She has registered 15 matches in double-digits saves, including a season-best 27 digs in MSU's win over Niagara in early September.
TURNING THE PAGE:
Prior to this season, senior Macy Page had totaled 113 career kills, including a career-best 17 kills against Loyola-Chicago. She had also played in 170 sets and averaged .66 kills per outing. Now, in just her senior season alone, the Orem, Utah, native has recorded 246 kills and is averaging 3.32 kills per set. Page has been in double-digit kills in 15 matches this fall, including a new career-high of 27 in MSU's win over Eastern Washington. Heading into the season, Page had a career attack mark of .116. Her current hitting percentage sits at an impressive .250, and she has also chipped in 52 total blocks, which is well over her three-year career total, as well.
A LENDING HAND:
Senior Jennifer Lundquist has seen her assists per set average rise along with MSU's early season success. Last fall, the Surrey, British Columbia native averaged 9.11 assists per game. This season, Lundquist is currently third in the Big Sky Conference averaging 11.00 assists per contest. In MSU's 3-2 loss to Montana on Monday, she dished out a career-high 64 assists. In addition, Lundquist is a triple threat on the court as well. She has posted five double-doubles this fall and is averaging 2.30 digs and .62 kills per game. Her current .374 attack mark leads the team and she has committed just nine hitting errors on 99 attempts.
HORTON HEARS A ...WOW:
Junior Sarah Horton's 38-kill outburst against Montana on Monday night moved her into first on the Big Sky Conference's kill chart, averaging 4.29 per set. In addition, she is also tops in the league averaging 4.83 points per set. Her 38-kill performance was just three away from breaking Brandy Anderson's school mark of 40 kills held since Oct. 3, 1998. On the season, the 6-foot native of Fresno, Calif., has been in double-figure kills in 17 of MSU's 18 matches to date. In addition, she has reached the 20-kill plateau on seven occasions. In her last three matches, Horton has posted an incredible 80 kills, averaging 6.15 per game.
Matt Houk Introductory Press Conference
Wednesday, January 18
Daniel Jones Weekly Press Conference
Monday, November 15
Bobcat Classic: Arkansas vs. Portland
Saturday, September 04
Bobcat Classic: Arkansas vs. Utah State
Friday, September 03
