Thursday, October 4
Flagstaff, AZ
7 p.m.
Montana State University
at
Northern Arizona
Freshman Eli Svisco
Photo by: R. Dean Hendrickson
Bobcat Spikers Travel to Northern Arizona, Southern Utah
10/3/2012 3:13:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
The Montana State volleyball team will take to the Big Sky Conference road this weekend. Its first stop will be against Northern Arizona (12-3, 4-2) in Flagstaff, Ariz., Thursday, Oct. 4 at 8 p.m. (MST) in the Rolle Activity Center. The Bobcats and Lumberjacks are currently tied for fourth in the league standings.
CLICK HERE FOR THIS WEEK'S VB NOTES (pdf)
ON THE ROAD AGAIN:
The Montana State volleyball team will take to the Big Sky Conference road this weekend. Its first stop will be against Northern Arizona (12-3, 4-2) in Flagstaff, Ariz., Thursday, Oct. 4 at 8 p.m. (MST) in the Rolle Activity Center. The Bobcats and Lumberjacks are currently tied for fourth in the league standings. MSU will then travel to Big Sky newcomer Southern Utah (7-10, 3-3), Saturday, Oct. 6 in Cedar City, Utah at 7 p.m. The Thunderbirds are a game behind the Bobcats in fifth place.
THIS WEEKEND'S 'CATCH THE 'CATS' OPPORTUNITIES:
Northern Arizona:
www.nauathletics.com/sports/wvball - (live stats)
www.americaonesports.com/bigsky.asp - (live web-streaming video)
Television: Fox Sports Arizona
Southern Utah:
www.suutbirds.com - (live stats)
www.americaonesports.com/bigsky.asp - (live web-streaming video)
QUICK RECAP:
The Montana State volleyball team pulled off one of the Big Sky's early season upsets, defeating previously unbeaten Idaho State 3-2 on Thursday. The Bobcats completed the weekend sweep cruising past Weber State 3-0 on Saturday night. MSU is off to its best league start since the 2004 campaign.
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
* Macy Page, 6-0, Senior, Outside Hitter, Orem, Utah
Page had a phenomenal weekend for the Bobcats as Montana State swept a pair of home matches, downing previously undefeated Idaho State 3-2, before sweeping Weber State 3-0. In its win over ISU, Page tallied 19 kills, while hitting a respectable .289 from the field. She also added five blocks and notched 21.5 points for the match. In MSU's win over WSU, Page put down 12 kills, averaging 4.00 per set, while hitting a whopping .391 and adding five blocks for 14.5 points. For the weekend, Page totaled 31 kills, averaged 3.88 per set, hit .324, registered ten blocks, averaging 1.25 per contest.
* Taylar Barney, 6-1, Senior, Middle Blocker, St. George, Utah
Barney played in key role in MSU's win over previously unbeaten Idaho State and Weber State last weekend. For the two matches, Barney averaged 1.75 kills and a whopping 2.12 blocks per set, while hitting a respectable .273 from the field.
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 the first ranking of the 2012 season, the Bobcats have moved up a whopping 197 spots. MSU finished last season ranked 304th in the RPI. In the first listing this season, Montana State is currently ranked 107th. The next best jump of 155 spots belongs to Southern Illinois. Two other Big Sky schools also made a +100 spot movement, including Idaho State (135) and Portland State (107).
THE SCOUTING REPORT:
Northern Arizona (12-3, 4-2) will be playing for just the second time at home when they host the Bobcats on Thursday night. NAU's two league losses have come against top tier schools Portland State and Idaho State. This fall, the Lumberjacks have been led by Kelli Dallmann and Jana Vander Ploeg, who average 3.49 and 3.15 kills, respectively. NAU holds a 30-22 edge in the all-time series and have won ten consecutive matches against the Bobcats. MSU last victory over the Lumberjacks was a 3-1 decision on Oct. 26, 2006 in Bozeman. Big Sky newcomer Southern Utah (7-10, 3-3) will face the University of Montana on Thursday, before meeting the Bobcats on Saturday night in the Centrum Arena. The T-Bird offense continues to be led by senior Analaine Mailoto with a team-best 242 kills and an average of 4.03 per set. Mailoto's numbers rank second in the Big Sky Conference this season. The Hooper, Utah native is also tops on the team this season in digs with 164 and an average of 2.73 per set. Montana State and Southern Utah have never met on the volleyball court since the return of the sport to SUU in 2009.
QUICK SET:
Macy Page's 27 kills against Eastern Washington is the highest output in the Big Sky Conference so far to date.
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 3.66 digs, which ranks among the Big Sky's top 10. Baker has registered 11 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 199 kills and is averaging 3.43 kills per set in only seven weeks of action. Page has been in double-digit kills in 12 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 .288, and she has also chipped in 38 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 fifth in the Big Sky Conference averaging 10.21 assists per contest. In MSU's 3-2 win over Idaho State last Friday, she matched career-high dishing out 57 assists. In addition, Lundquist is a triple threat on the court as well. She has posted four double-doubles this fall and is averaging 2.19 digs and .55 kills per game. Her current .361 attack mark leads the team and she has committed just six hitting errors on 72 attempts to date.
TIPS & DUMPS:
Junior Sarah Horton is ranked third in the Big Sky averaging 3.78 kills per set...Macy Page is ranked fifth in the league averaging 3.43 kills per set...Page is also listed ninth in hitting percentage with a .288 attack mark...setter Jennifer Lundquist ranks fifth overall averaging 10.06 21 assists per stanza...Libero Nicole Baker is listed seventh in digs, averaging 3.66 saves per contest...Baker also ranks fourth averaging .36 service aces per set...MSU's front line has been anchored by Taylar Barney, who ranks fifth in the Big Sky averaging 1.17 blocks.
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