Thursday, September 21
Moscow, ID
8 p.m.
Montana State University
at
Idaho
Photo by: R. Dean Hendrickson
Cats Open Big Sky Season at Idaho
9/20/2017 2:59:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
The Montana State volleyball team will open its Big Sky Conference schedule at the University of Idaho, Thursday, Sept. 21 at 8 p.m. (MDT) in Moscow.
BIG SKY CONFERENCE OPENER:
The Montana State volleyball team will open its Big Sky Conference schedule at the University of Idaho, Thursday, Sept. 21 at 8 p.m. (MDT) in Moscow. The match is slated for UI's Memorial Gym (1500). Following its match with the Vandals, MSU will make the short trip north to Cheney, Wash., where it will face Eastern Washington, Saturday, Sept. 23 at 3 p.m. on Reese Court (5,000). MSU opens its home Big Sky slate on Sept. 28 when it hosts Portland State.
A CLOSER LOOK AT THE BIG SKY CONFERENCE OPENERS:
Here is a closer look at this week's opponents.
Opponent: University of Idaho
Nickname: Vandals
Head Coach: Debbie Buchanan (260-253/18th Year)
2017 Record: 5-6 overall; 0-0 Big Sky
Opponent: Eastern Washington
Nickname: Eagles
Head Coach: Michael King (34-47/4th Year)
2017 Record: 3-6 overall; 0-0 Big Sky
CATCH THE CATS:
Pluto TV – Pluto TV is the leading free Internet-based TV service that is available on almost any device such as Roku, Apple TV, Android TV, Google Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, PlayStation, Xbox, and smart TVs like Sony, Samsung, Vizio and more. Pluto TV is also available through a free app on mobile and table devices (i.e. iOS and Android), as well as traditional PCs. All content on Pluto TV is free, including its Video on Demand.
Channel 242 for Montana State at Idaho match
Channel 234 for Montana State at Eastern Washington match
Live Video Stream:
Also available at WatchBigSky.com
Live Stats –
For Montana State at Idaho match - Idahostats.com
For Montana State at Eastern Washington match - EWUstats.com
ON POINT WITH THE CATS:
* Montana State is 10-19 all-time in Big Sky Conference openers
* The Bobcats dropped its league opener at home to Idaho (3-1) last fall.
* Thursday's match at Idaho is the fourth Big Sky opener between the schools
* Idaho holds a 3-1 lead in conference openers between the two schools
* Idaho holds a 31-7 advantage in the all-time series dating back to 1982
* MSU's last win over the Vandals (3-1) was on Sept. 14, 1990 in Bozeman
* The Cats trail Eastern Washington 52-23 in the all-time series back to 1980
* MSU's last win vs. Eastern Washington (3-0) in Cheney was on Oct. 27, 2012
* MSU's last win over EWU (3-2) was on Nov. 1, 2014 in Bozeman
* The Cats saw its 4-match win streak end in a 3-0 loss to UC Irvine last week
* Montana State is celebrating its 125th birthday during the 2017-18 season
SERVING NOTICE:
The Bobcats have done an outstanding job serving the ball in the early season. MSU has served-up 54 aces in the six matches, averaging 1.46 per set. The mark is the third best in the Big Sky Conference and ranks 83rd in the nation. Individually, senior middle blocker Kiana Black's .43 aces per game ranks third in the Big Sky and 56th in the nation. In all, Black's 16 service aces are fifth highest in the conference and ranks 129h in the nation at the NCAA Division I level.
BLOCK PARTY:
Montana State averaged a whopping 3.31 blocks per game en route to winning the Utah State Tournament two weeks ago, while posting 1.55 bps last weekend in California. The Bobcats current average of 2.32 bps is the fifth highest in the Big Sky Conference and ranks 76th in the nation. MSU's best block party of the season came in its win over Pacific as the Cats out-blocked the Tigers 20-6. Freshman Kelsie White posted a school-record and career-best 14 block assists, and finished the match with 15 total blocks. Sophomore outside hitter Evi Wilson also enjoyed a career performance with seven blocks, while Kiana Black chipped in five block assists against the Tigers. White's 1.14 blocks per set ranks sixth in the Big Sky and is 35th best in the nation. The Layton, Utah product has notched the fourth highest blocks per set average in the nation for a freshman. In addition, White's 15 total blocks against Pacific are the highest total in the nation for a five-set match this season. Illinois, who left the Bobcat Classic with a perfect 3-0 record, is one of the nation's top blocking teams, paced by the second best blocker in the country in Ali Bastianelli at 2.00 blocks per game.
HELLO, MY NAME IS ____________:
Thirteen of MSU's 16 players on its roster have been in the program for two years or less. This season, the Bobcats welcomed six freshmen. Only three players (Kiana Black, Natalie Passeck and Chase Doughty) remain on the roster from the 2015 campaign, which was the first under then head coach JJ Riley and top assistant (now head) coach Daniel Jones.
DIGGING IT:
Sophomore libero Allyssa Rizzo, along with defensive specialists and freshmen Alexis Goroski, Allie Lynch and Libby Christensen, have accounted for over half of MSU's digs this season. At the Utah State Tournament two weeks ago, the foursome averaged an impressive 7.3 saves per game. For their efforts, Rizzo and Goroski were named to the USU All-Tournament team. Rizzo paces MSU in the back row averaging 3.81 digs, while Goroski chips in 1.68 saves and Lynch 1.38 dps. Rizzo's 3.81 digs per set is ninth best in the Big Sky Conference.
BLACK AND WHITE:
Montana State middle blockers - senior Kiana Black and freshman Kelsie White - have been outstanding in the early season for the Bobcats. The duo has combined for 104 kills (2.81 kps) and 82 blocks (2.21), while hitting .190 from the field. Black, a native of Wenatchee, Wash., also added 16 service aces, including a career-high five aces against Air Force. She had her best hitting outing of the season with 13 kills in MSU's five-set loss to Long Beach State, last weekend. White, a product of Layton, Utah, has guided MSU defensively, averaging 1.41 blocks per set. Against Pacific, she registered 14 blocks assists, establishing a new MSU school-record. White broke the mark of 13 block assists previously held by Karen Weyler ('94) and Mindy Nowak ('98). Offensively, White is averaging 1.41 kills per set, while hitting a team-high .206 from the field. The 6-4 true-freshman posted a season-best nine kills in Montana State's win over Utah State on Sept. 2.
SETTING STANDARDS:
Sophomore Sydney Mathison has received the starting nod for the Bobcats over the first month of action. The Phoenix, Arizona product has played in all 37 sets and is averaging 8.19 assists per set, which is the ninth highest total in the Big Sky Conference. Mathison registered a career-high 50 assists in MSU's 3-2 win over Gonzaga on Aug. 26. At the UCI-LBS Tournament, Mathison recorded her sixth career double-double against Long Beach State, dishing out 38 assists and adding 10 digs. She is also third on the team with ten service aces and third with 18 total blocks.
PINTEREST:
For most of the early season, juniors Natalie Passeck and Chase Doughty, along with sophomores Evi Wilson and Savannah Laws, and freshman Hannah Scott, have manned the pins for the Bobcats. Passeck has led all MSU outside hitters averaging 2.73 kills per set, while Doughty has chipped in 2.37, Wilson 2.00, and Scott 2.00 per contest. In Montana State's win over Gonzaga on Aug. 26, Passeck paced the Cats with 17 kills, and followed that effort with 17 in MSU's victory over UC Santa Barbara. Doughty and Wilson each notched a career-high 14 kills against the Zags. Doughty matched her career-high with 14 kills in MSU's win over UCSB, as well. Wilson, a native of Vancouver, Wash., tallied her first career double-double against Gonzaga posting 14 kills and 11 digs. Against Pacific, Wilson recorded a career-high seven block assists. Doughty, a product of Pleasant View, Utah, has also found success at the net for MSU, logging a career-best seven block assists versus Gonzaga. Laws is averaging .96 kills and .67 blocks per set. Scott, a product of Hawthorne, Calif., posted a season-best nine kills against both CSU Bakersfield and Long Beach State, last weekend.
The Montana State volleyball team will open its Big Sky Conference schedule at the University of Idaho, Thursday, Sept. 21 at 8 p.m. (MDT) in Moscow. The match is slated for UI's Memorial Gym (1500). Following its match with the Vandals, MSU will make the short trip north to Cheney, Wash., where it will face Eastern Washington, Saturday, Sept. 23 at 3 p.m. on Reese Court (5,000). MSU opens its home Big Sky slate on Sept. 28 when it hosts Portland State.
A CLOSER LOOK AT THE BIG SKY CONFERENCE OPENERS:
Here is a closer look at this week's opponents.
Opponent: University of Idaho
Nickname: Vandals
Head Coach: Debbie Buchanan (260-253/18th Year)
2017 Record: 5-6 overall; 0-0 Big Sky
Opponent: Eastern Washington
Nickname: Eagles
Head Coach: Michael King (34-47/4th Year)
2017 Record: 3-6 overall; 0-0 Big Sky
CATCH THE CATS:
Pluto TV – Pluto TV is the leading free Internet-based TV service that is available on almost any device such as Roku, Apple TV, Android TV, Google Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, PlayStation, Xbox, and smart TVs like Sony, Samsung, Vizio and more. Pluto TV is also available through a free app on mobile and table devices (i.e. iOS and Android), as well as traditional PCs. All content on Pluto TV is free, including its Video on Demand.
Channel 242 for Montana State at Idaho match
Channel 234 for Montana State at Eastern Washington match
Live Video Stream:
Also available at WatchBigSky.com
Live Stats –
For Montana State at Idaho match - Idahostats.com
For Montana State at Eastern Washington match - EWUstats.com
ON POINT WITH THE CATS:
* Montana State is 10-19 all-time in Big Sky Conference openers
* The Bobcats dropped its league opener at home to Idaho (3-1) last fall.
* Thursday's match at Idaho is the fourth Big Sky opener between the schools
* Idaho holds a 3-1 lead in conference openers between the two schools
* Idaho holds a 31-7 advantage in the all-time series dating back to 1982
* MSU's last win over the Vandals (3-1) was on Sept. 14, 1990 in Bozeman
* The Cats trail Eastern Washington 52-23 in the all-time series back to 1980
* MSU's last win vs. Eastern Washington (3-0) in Cheney was on Oct. 27, 2012
* MSU's last win over EWU (3-2) was on Nov. 1, 2014 in Bozeman
* The Cats saw its 4-match win streak end in a 3-0 loss to UC Irvine last week
* Montana State is celebrating its 125th birthday during the 2017-18 season
SERVING NOTICE:
The Bobcats have done an outstanding job serving the ball in the early season. MSU has served-up 54 aces in the six matches, averaging 1.46 per set. The mark is the third best in the Big Sky Conference and ranks 83rd in the nation. Individually, senior middle blocker Kiana Black's .43 aces per game ranks third in the Big Sky and 56th in the nation. In all, Black's 16 service aces are fifth highest in the conference and ranks 129h in the nation at the NCAA Division I level.
BLOCK PARTY:
Montana State averaged a whopping 3.31 blocks per game en route to winning the Utah State Tournament two weeks ago, while posting 1.55 bps last weekend in California. The Bobcats current average of 2.32 bps is the fifth highest in the Big Sky Conference and ranks 76th in the nation. MSU's best block party of the season came in its win over Pacific as the Cats out-blocked the Tigers 20-6. Freshman Kelsie White posted a school-record and career-best 14 block assists, and finished the match with 15 total blocks. Sophomore outside hitter Evi Wilson also enjoyed a career performance with seven blocks, while Kiana Black chipped in five block assists against the Tigers. White's 1.14 blocks per set ranks sixth in the Big Sky and is 35th best in the nation. The Layton, Utah product has notched the fourth highest blocks per set average in the nation for a freshman. In addition, White's 15 total blocks against Pacific are the highest total in the nation for a five-set match this season. Illinois, who left the Bobcat Classic with a perfect 3-0 record, is one of the nation's top blocking teams, paced by the second best blocker in the country in Ali Bastianelli at 2.00 blocks per game.
HELLO, MY NAME IS ____________:
Thirteen of MSU's 16 players on its roster have been in the program for two years or less. This season, the Bobcats welcomed six freshmen. Only three players (Kiana Black, Natalie Passeck and Chase Doughty) remain on the roster from the 2015 campaign, which was the first under then head coach JJ Riley and top assistant (now head) coach Daniel Jones.
DIGGING IT:
Sophomore libero Allyssa Rizzo, along with defensive specialists and freshmen Alexis Goroski, Allie Lynch and Libby Christensen, have accounted for over half of MSU's digs this season. At the Utah State Tournament two weeks ago, the foursome averaged an impressive 7.3 saves per game. For their efforts, Rizzo and Goroski were named to the USU All-Tournament team. Rizzo paces MSU in the back row averaging 3.81 digs, while Goroski chips in 1.68 saves and Lynch 1.38 dps. Rizzo's 3.81 digs per set is ninth best in the Big Sky Conference.
BLACK AND WHITE:
Montana State middle blockers - senior Kiana Black and freshman Kelsie White - have been outstanding in the early season for the Bobcats. The duo has combined for 104 kills (2.81 kps) and 82 blocks (2.21), while hitting .190 from the field. Black, a native of Wenatchee, Wash., also added 16 service aces, including a career-high five aces against Air Force. She had her best hitting outing of the season with 13 kills in MSU's five-set loss to Long Beach State, last weekend. White, a product of Layton, Utah, has guided MSU defensively, averaging 1.41 blocks per set. Against Pacific, she registered 14 blocks assists, establishing a new MSU school-record. White broke the mark of 13 block assists previously held by Karen Weyler ('94) and Mindy Nowak ('98). Offensively, White is averaging 1.41 kills per set, while hitting a team-high .206 from the field. The 6-4 true-freshman posted a season-best nine kills in Montana State's win over Utah State on Sept. 2.
SETTING STANDARDS:
Sophomore Sydney Mathison has received the starting nod for the Bobcats over the first month of action. The Phoenix, Arizona product has played in all 37 sets and is averaging 8.19 assists per set, which is the ninth highest total in the Big Sky Conference. Mathison registered a career-high 50 assists in MSU's 3-2 win over Gonzaga on Aug. 26. At the UCI-LBS Tournament, Mathison recorded her sixth career double-double against Long Beach State, dishing out 38 assists and adding 10 digs. She is also third on the team with ten service aces and third with 18 total blocks.
PINTEREST:
For most of the early season, juniors Natalie Passeck and Chase Doughty, along with sophomores Evi Wilson and Savannah Laws, and freshman Hannah Scott, have manned the pins for the Bobcats. Passeck has led all MSU outside hitters averaging 2.73 kills per set, while Doughty has chipped in 2.37, Wilson 2.00, and Scott 2.00 per contest. In Montana State's win over Gonzaga on Aug. 26, Passeck paced the Cats with 17 kills, and followed that effort with 17 in MSU's victory over UC Santa Barbara. Doughty and Wilson each notched a career-high 14 kills against the Zags. Doughty matched her career-high with 14 kills in MSU's win over UCSB, as well. Wilson, a native of Vancouver, Wash., tallied her first career double-double against Gonzaga posting 14 kills and 11 digs. Against Pacific, Wilson recorded a career-high seven block assists. Doughty, a product of Pleasant View, Utah, has also found success at the net for MSU, logging a career-best seven block assists versus Gonzaga. Laws is averaging .96 kills and .67 blocks per set. Scott, a product of Hawthorne, Calif., posted a season-best nine kills against both CSU Bakersfield and Long Beach State, last weekend.
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
L/DS
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
L/DS
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
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