Bears Down Bobcats in Four Sets

Friday, October 28

BOZEMAN

7 p.m.

Montana State University

5-15, 3-8

Northern Colorado

14-9, 8-3

Northern Colorado

Montana State

10/28/2016 10:11:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

Montana State’s energy stayed with them for three games before Northern Colorado flexed its muscle out-hitting Montana State .478 to .080, while serving five aces in the fourth set to capture a 25-21, 25-22, 18-25, 25-12 decision over the Bobcats, Friday night in Shroyer Gym.

By: Tom Schulz

Montana State's energy stayed with them for three games before Northern Colorado flexed its muscle out-hitting Montana State .478 to .080, while serving five aces in the fourth set to capture a 25-21, 25-22, 18-25, 25-12 decision over the Bobcats, Friday night in Shroyer Gym.

Montana State (5-15, 3-8) owned four-point leads on three occasions in the opening set, before Northern Colorado (14-9, 8-3) used an 8-0 midway through the stanza to go up 1-0. In the second game, UNC held an 18-13 margin before the Bobcats clawed back to within 22-21 following a Bear attack error. MSU would get no closer as UNC took the set on an Ashley Guthrie kill.

The Bobcats owned the third set storming out to a 16-8 advantage following a Kiana Black kill. Following a kill by Evi Wilson at 24-18, MSU closed to within 2-1 on a Bear hitting miscue. Montana State out-hit Northern Colorado .300 to .088 in the third stanza.

"I was happy with the fight our team showed to come back in that third set to win it and push it to a fourth," said MSU head coach JJ Riley. "Overall, I thought we played well most of the night. There were just a couple stretches where we gave up runs of points and that was the difference."

In the final set, UNC broke away from a 9-7 lead with a 10-2 run and never looked back.

"The girls made some good defensive adjustments as the match went on which is good to see," Riley commented. "UNC is a very good team and program that keeps coming at you. We will grow from these matches as we are forced to stay focused the entire night."

Sophomore Natalie Passeck led MSU with a team-high 12 kills, while Bozeman product Caitlin Lonergan added 11 kills, seven digs and four service aces. Eli Svisco and Wilson added eight and seven kills, respectively.

MSU setters Katie Rutecki and Sydney Mathison dished out 21 and 18 assists, respectively. Rutecki also added nine digs.

Defensively, MSU was paced by freshman Allyssa Rizzo who registered a match-high 20 digs. Black guided the Bobcats at the net with three blocks.

"I truly believe we are making progress and getting better each day, which is all that we can control," Riley said. "We have another opportunity to come out and play well on Saturday night, which is exciting."

Northern Colorado was led by Timarie Nymeyer and Kortney Lockey with 15 kills, apiece.

MSU hosts North Dakota on Saturday at 7 p.m. in Shroyer Gym.