Friday, September 28
Bozeman
7 p.m.
Montana State University
vs
Idaho State
Senior Taylar Barney goes up for the kill.
Photo by: Kelly Gorham
Bobcats, Bengals and Wildcats, Oh My...
9/26/2012 5:04:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
The Montana State volleyball team is in the middle of a four match home-stand that began with a 3-2 victory over Eastern Washington, last Thursday. This week, the Bobcats will entertain Big Sky-leading Idaho State, Friday, Sept. 28 at 7 p.m. MSU will finish the weekend on Saturday night against Weber State at 7 p.m. Both matches are slated for Shroyer Gym.
Click here for this week's release (pdf)
BOBCATS, BENGALS AND WILDCATS, OH MY:
The Montana State volleyball team is in the middle of a four match home-stand that began with a 3-2 victory over Eastern Washington, last Thursday. This week, the Bobcats will entertain Big Sky-leading Idaho State, Friday, Sept. 28 at 7 p.m. MSU will finish the weekend on Saturday night against Weber State at 7 p.m. Both matches are slated for Shroyer Gym.
THIS WEEKEND'S 'CATCH THE 'CATS' OPPORTUNITIES:
Idaho State:
www.msubobcats.com - (live stats)
www.americaonesports.com/bigsky.asp - (live web-streaming video)
Weber State:
www.msubobcats.com - (live stats)
www.americaonesports.com/bigsky.asp - (live web-streaming video)
QUICK RECAP:
The Montana State volleyball team split a pair of Big Sky Conference home matches last weekend in Shroyer Gym. The Bobcats defeated Eastern Washington 25-23, 21-25, 18-25, 25-22, 15-11 on Thursday, before dropping a 25-15, 19-25, 15-25, 22-25 decision to Portland State. Senior Macy Page led the Bobcats with a career-high 27 kills in MSU's win over EWU, while junior Sarah Horton paced the Bobcats with a team-high 13 kills versus PSU.
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
* Macy Page, 6-0, Senior, Outside Hitter, Orem, Utah
Page played a major role in MSU's win over Eastern Washington on Thursday with a Big Sky Conference season-high 27 kills, averaging 5.40 kps. The 6-foot outside hitter also posted a match-best .420 attack mark, while adding three blocks and three digs. Page backed that performance with 12 kills, a .212 attack and four blocks in MSU's loss to league-leading Portland State. For the weekend, she totaled 39 kills (4.33 kps), while hitting an impressive .337 from the floor. She also posted seven blocks and five digs.
* Natalee Godfrey, 6-1, Freshman, Middle Blocker, Eugene, Oregon
Godfrey had her best match of the season in MSU's 3-1 loss to Portland State on Saturday night. The 6-1 middle blocker finished the match with a season-high nine kills, while adding a .571 attack mark and five blocks. Godfrey was almost flawless in the first three sets against the Vikings with six kills and a .857 attack percentage from the floor.
THE SCOUTING REPORT:
Montana State will host Idaho State (10-3, 4-0) on Friday night in Shroyer Gym. The Bengals are one of two (Portland State) unbeaten squads in Big Sky play and sit atop the league standings. Picked seventh in the preseason BSC coaches poll, ISU used a potent offensive attack to knock off defending Big Sky champ Northern Colorado (3-2) and North Dakota (3-1), last weekend in Pocatello. Then Bengals lead the Big Sky in hitting percentage (.264), kills (14.14) and assists (13.20). Senior outside hitter Breanne Van Every leads the Bengals in kills, averaging 3.43 per set. Junior setter Lori Mendenhall leads the assist effort with 549 assists and is second in the conference, averaging 11.20 assists per set. Redshirt senior Jaclyn Hone-Hawkins leads ISU in blocks with 44 this season, while redshirt sophomore Kylee Searle leads in digs with 3.55 per set. Van Every leads ISU in service aces with 17. Idaho State leads the all-time series 33-32, but the Bobcats swept the Bengals last season winning 3-1 in Bozeman and 3-2 in Pocatello. Weber State (6-9, 0-4) will play at Montana on Friday night before traveling down I-90 to Bozeman on Saturday. WSU takes to the Big Sky Conference road this weekend searching for its first league win of the season. Redshirt freshman outside hitter Rebecca Fuchs continues to lead the Wildcats offensively, recording 166 kills (3.19/set) in 52 sets played this season. She has 15 service aces (.29/set) and 23 block assists (.44/set). During Weber State's four conference matches, Fuchs has recorded 58 kills (3.87/set) in 15 sets, which is the fourth-highest average in the Big Sky. Fuchs average of 4.33 points per set is also the fourth-highest in the league during conference play. Weber State leads the all-time series against Montana State 32-20, but the Bobcats swept the Wildcats last year and have won three of the last four meetings.
QUICK SET:
Macy Page's 27 kills against Eastern Washington on Thursday night 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 3.56 digs, which ranks among the Big Sky's top 10. Baker has registered nine 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 168 kills and is averaging 3.36 kills per set in only six weeks of action. Page has been in double-digit kills in ten 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 .281, and she has also chipped in 28 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 sixth in the Big Sky Conference averaging 10.06 assists per contest. In MSU's 3-2 win over Niagara on Sept. 7, she established a new career-high dishing out 57 assists. In addition, Lundquist is a triple threat on the court as well. She has posted three double-doubles this fall and is averaging 2.18 digs and .52 kills per game. Her current .323 attack mark leads the team and she has committed just six hitting errors on 62 attempts to date.
TIPS & DUMPS:
Junior Sarah Horton is ranked third in the Big Sky Conference averaging 3.76 kills per set...Macy Page is ranked ninth in the league averaging 3.36 kills per set...Page is also listed tenth in hitting percentage with a .281 attack mark...setter Jennifer Lundquist ranks sixth overall averaging 10.06 assists per stanza...Libero Nicole Baker is listed sixth in digs, averaging 3.56 saves per contest...Baker also ranks fourth averaging .40 service aces per set...MSU's front line is anchored by Taylar Barney, who ranks ninth in the Big Sky Conference averaging 1.02 blocks.
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Bobcat Classic: Arkansas vs. Portland
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Bobcat Classic: Arkansas vs. Utah State
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