Bobcat Spikers Rally to Sweep Two Matches at Ohio Invite

Friday, September 7

Athens, OH

10 a.m.

Montana State University

Belmont

Junior Sarah Horton

Photo by: R. Dean Hendrickson

Bobcat Spikers Rally to Sweep Two Matches at Ohio Invite

9/7/2012 9:01:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

It took a late rally in the second match of the Ohio University Invitational for the Montana State volleyball team to walk away with two match wins, Friday afternoon. The two victories give the Bobcats six on the year, matching their win total from all of last season.

By: Tom Schulz

MSU def. Belmont 3-0 - Boxscore (pdf)

MSU def. Niagara 3-2 - Boxscore (pdf)

It took a late rally in the second match of the Ohio University Invitational for the Montana State volleyball team to walk away with two match wins, Friday afternoon. The two victories give the Bobcats six on the year, matching their win total from all of last season.

Trailing 2-0 to Niagara – a team coming off three consecutive NCAA appearances – Montana State (6-1) rallied from a 17-12 deficit in set three with a 13-5 run sparked by Sarah Horton and Taylar Barney. In set four, the Bobcats jumped out to 10-3 advantage and cruised to a 25-13 victory to force a deciding fifth set.

In the final stanza the Bobcats took an 8-6 lead at the switch following a block from freshman Eli Svisco. From that point, MSU put it on cruise control with a 7-2 run down the stretch behind the efforts of Horton and Macy Page.

“I'm so proud of our team,” said first-year head coach Kyle Weindel, who previously served the last four seasons as an assistant at Ohio University. “This could prove to be a defining moment. We had our backs against the wall and little-by-little we chipped away with a great effort and turned the momentum. It took a contribution from everyone.”

Page finished the match with 22 kills, while Horton added 20 winners. Also in double-figure kills were Svisco and Barney with 14 and 11 kills, respectively. Senior setter Jennifer Lundquist dished out 57 assists and added nine digs.

“We did a nice job staying in system midway through set three and that gave us a chance,” Weindel said. “We did a nice job spreading the offense around.”

Defensively, junior libero Nicole Baker posted a team-high 27 digs, while Svisco recorded a double-double with 15 saves. MSU also got the job done from the service line chalking up 10 aces, including a career-high four winners via Kasey Schlatter. Barney added six blocks at the net.

“To get this kind of win against a very good program is a big confidence booster,” Weindel said. “Match-by match, we need to keep setting the bar a little higher.”

Earlier in the day, the Bobcats put one of its most complete matches of the season together in a 25-18, 25-16, 25-18 win over Belmont.

Page guided MSU with 16 kills, while hitting .583 and adding three blocks. Also in double-digit kills were Svisco 12 and Horton 11. Defensively, Baker posted 11 digs to go along with three aces. True freshman Natalee Godfrey guided the Bobcats at the net with four blocks.

Montana State will play Ohio, Saturday night in the championship of the OU Invitational.