Bobcats Rally to Tree Wildcats

Thursday, October 6

BOZEMAN

7 p.m.

Montana State University

4-10, 2-3

Weber State

11-3, 2-3

Weber State

Montana State

Bobcat junior Kiana Black

Photo by: Kelly Gorham

10/6/2016 10:33:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

By: Tom Schulz

Montana State played its most complete match of the season and rallied from a 2-1 deficit to defeat Weber State 32-30, 19-25, 23-25, 25-15, 15-11, Thursday night in front of 1,012 fans in Shroyer Gym.

Montana State (4-10, 2-3) junior middle blocker Kiana Black led four Bobcats in double-digits with a career-high 20 kills. The product of Wenatchee, Washington also added seven blocks to lead all players.

"That was a complete team effort," said MSU head coach JJ Riley. "It was nice to see us stay strong for an entire match. We kept our composure and focused on the moment, not what was ahead of us or what was behind us."

The match opened in epic fashion as the lead changed hands nine times with the score tied on 19 occasions. MSU fought off five Weber State (11-3, 2-3) set points. With the set tied at 30-all, the Bobcats used an Eli Svisco kill and a block by Svisco and Audra Dugan to take a 1-0 advantage.

"The first set was one of our best of the season," Riled said. "We were hitting at a high percentage and we got some big-time digs by Allyssa Rizzo and others."

Weber State owned the second stanza out-hitting the Bobcats .160 to .125 as fifteen Bobcat miscues led to WSU points.

The Wildcats kept the momentum coming out of intermission taking a 17-13 advantage, before MSU stormed back with a 10-4 run to go up 23-21. WSU closed out the set on a 4-0 run to take a 2-1 match lead.

"We got on a roll late in the third set, but were unable to close it out," Riley said. "I thought our bench gave us a terrific lift and really helped us set the tone for the final two sets."

MSU jumped out to a 13-5 advantage in the fourth set following a block by Natalie Passeck and cruised the rest of the way to setup the fifth and deciding set.

In the final set, the Bobcats took a 6-3 lead on a Passeck kill, but Weber State answered with five straight points to take an 8-6 margin. The Bobcats righted the ship quickly with three straight points, including two kills from Black, and never relinquished the lead out-scoring WSU 9-3 down the stretch.

"Kiana really stepped-up in the last two sets and showed great leadership," Riley said. "Everyone got involved and we started hitting on all cylinders."

Also in double-digit kills for MSU were Passeck 18, Caitlin Lonergan 15 and Alexandra Rader 10.

Bobcat setters Katie Rutecki and Sydney Mathison each dished out a season-high 38 and 28 assists, respectively.

Defensively, the Bobcats out-blocked Weber State 13-10. The Wildcats entered the match fourth in the nation in blocking. Aside from Black's seven blocks, Dugan added five. Rizzo finished the match with 24 digs, while Rutecki 14, Lonergan 14 and Passeck 12 all recorded double-doubles.

WSU was paced by Amanda Varley with 21 kills.

The Bocbats will host Idaho State on Saturday at 12 p.m. in Shroyer Gym.