Cats Fall in Three

Friday, October 13

BOZEMAN

7 p.m.

Montana State University

6-10, 2-5Big Sky

North Dakota

20-4, 5-2Big Sky

North Dakota

Montana State

Kelsie White had eight kills against North Dakota.

Photo by: R. Dean Hendrickson

10/13/2017 9:23:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

For most of the match the Montana State volleyball team went toe-to-toe with the defending Big Sky champs.

By: Tom Schulz

For most of the match the Montana State volleyball team went toe-to-toe with the defending Big Sky champs. In the end, MSU's miscues handed the Fighting Hawks a 25-21, 25-20, 25-20 victory, Friday night in front of 1,079 fans in Shroyer Gym.

"The effort was right there," said MSU head coach Daniel Jones. "Defensively, we made some great plays that kept us in long rallies. It's just those critical moments. We've talked a lot about being at our best when our best is needed and when we needed our best (tonight) and we just cracked a little. Those moments are getting fewer and fewer, but against a team like North Dakota you can't let them have it."

Montana State (6-10, 2-5) jumped out early in the opening frame taking a 7-4 lead on a kill by freshman Hannah Scott. North Dakota (20-4, 5-2) answered with a 10-3 run and never gave up the cushion the rest of the set.

The Fighting Hawks broke away from an 8-7 lead in the second game with a 6-1 run and finished off the set on a block via Tamara Merseli.

MSU got out to an 8-5 advantage in the final set after a UND hitting error. Again, the Fighting Hawks answered with a 6-1 run. MSU closed to within 20-18 in the late stages on kill by sophomore Savannah Laws, but UND ended the game on a 5-2 stretch.

Junior Natalie Passeck paced the Cats with 11 kills, while Kelsie White and Laws added eight, apiece. Defensively, MSU was led by sophomore libero Allyssa Rizzo with a match-high 17 digs. Also in double-digits digs was Katie Rutecki with 11. Rutecki dished out 28 assists as well, for her second straight double-double.

MSU will host Northern Colorado on Saturday night in Shroyer Gym beginning at 7 p.m.