Montana State University
Southern Utah
Cats Host Thunderbirds on Thursday and Lumberjacks on Saturday
10/31/2018 5:24:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
The Montana State volleyball squad will wrap-up its four match homestand when it faces Southern Utah and Northern Arizona this weekend in Shroyer Gym. The Bobcats will host SUU on Thursday, Nov. 1, at 7 p.m., before facing NAU on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
WRAPPING UP THE HOMESTAND:
The Montana State volleyball squad will wrap-up its four match homestand when it faces Southern Utah and Northern Arizona this weekend in Shroyer Gym. The Bobcats will host SUU on Thursday, Nov. 1, at 7 p.m., before facing NAU on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Montana State is in the middle of its longest homestand of the season, which started last Tuesday night with a 3-0 sweep of intra-state rival Montana, and ended with a 3-0 setback to Northern Colorado. Following this weekend's play, the Bobcats will travel to Eastern Washington and Idaho, Nov. 8 and 10, respectively.
A CLOSER LOOK AT THIS WEEK'S OPPONENTS:
Two teams from two different ends of the Big Sky Conference spectrum enter Shroyer Gym this weekend. Southern Utah, under first-year head coach Pete Hoyer, is currently 10th in the league standings with a 2-10 BSC ledger. The Thunderbirds have defeated Portland State and Idaho State conference action and have a win over Jacksonville State, as well. MSU defeated SUU 3-1 on Oct. 6 in Cedar City. The T-Birds are led by Janet Kalaniuvalu and Emma Mangum, who average 3.99 and 2.26 kills per set, respectively. Northern Arizona will play at Montana on Thursday night before meeting the Cats on Saturday. The Lumberjack sit in second place behind Idaho. NAU has the reigning BSC Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week in Kaylie Jorgenson and Jordan Anderson.
SIDE OUTS:
*The Cats hold a 6-3 advantage in its all-time series with SUU going back to Oct. 2012
*MSU defeated SUU 25-23, 23-25, 25-21, 25-20 in Cedar City on Oct. 6, 2018
*The Bobcats have dropped six straight to NAU, including a 3-0 decision on Oct. 8
*MSU's last win over the Lumberjacks (3-2) came in Bozeman on Oct. 11, 2013
*Junior libero Allyssa Rizzo is fourth on MSU's career digs list with 1,319 saves
*Rizzo is third in the Big Sky at 5.34 digs per set, which ranks 25th nationally
*Thirteen of MSU's 17 rostered players have been in the program two years or less
*Montana State is averaging 1,119 fans per match, which ranks 45th in the nation
SUPER SAVER:
Junior libero Allyssa Rizzo, who has earned two Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors this season, averaged 3.83 digs and 0.67 assists last weekend. The product of Crestwood, Ill., posted 23 digs in six sets, logging 13 saves against Montana and 10 digs against Northern Colorado. Rizzo has gone over the 30-dig plateau on three occasions this fall, including a career high 34 digs in MSU's win over Portland State. In addition, she has notched 14 matches with 20 or more digs. Her current 475 digs on the season is third most on MSU's single-season digs chart. Nicole Baker (2011) holds the Bobcat single-season record at 514. Rizzo is third in the Big Sky averaging 5.34 digs per set, which also ranks No. 25 in the nation. She has notched 1,319 career digs, which moved her into fourth on MSU's all-time career digs chart.
PINTREST:
As a unit Montana State's outside hitters manned the pins last weekend producing 50 kills, while hitting .155 from the floor. In addition, the foursome tallied 18 digs and added 10 blocks. Junior Evi Wilson led the way for MSU with 14 kills and a .355 attack mark against Montana and Northern Colorado, while Serena Caspersen chipped in 1.83 kills per set, while producing a .156 attack mark. Sophomore Hannah Scott averaged 2.17 kills and 1.33 digs with a .062 attack mark while taking 48 swings. Freshmen Hailey Merkes also got in on the action with 12 kills, four blocks and two digs on the weekend.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING:
As a team, the Bobcats ranked in the top five in just one Big Sky statistical category this week. Montana State was ranked fifth in team digs with 1,070. The number also ranked 135th overall in the country. MSU was also ranked among the nation's top 150 in digs per set (133rd), team service aces (144th), and team attacks (147th). Individually, Allyssa Rizzo ranks among the best liberos in the nation. Her 5.34 digs per set is third in the Big Sky and ranks 25th nationally. Rizzo is also ranked No. 28th in the nation in total digs, No. 61 in aces (33) and No. 82 in aces per set (.37). Sophomore middle blocker Kelsie White's 84 total blocks is rankled No. 196 in the nation.
HARD BLOCK CAFE:
Last season in MSU's win over Pacific, freshman Kelsie White notched 15 blocks, including 14 block assists. The 14 blocks assist was a Bobcat school-record, breaking the mark of 13 held by Karen Weyler (1994) and Mindy Nowak (1998). The 15 blocks were the second highest total in the nation last fall, and White's 1.08 blocks per game were the 13th best average produced by a freshmen in the country. The Layton, Utah native is currently ranked 196th in the nation with 84 total blocks, while her .97 blocks per set is listed 236th nationally.
THE RIGHT STUFF:
The Bobcats ended the 2017 season ranked No. 213 in the final RPI, which was a 46-spot leap up the rankings from 259 at the end of the 2016 season. In all, the Bobcats defeated five teams ranked higher than themselves in the final RPI, including No. 71 North Dakota, No. 99 Pacific, No. 151 Gonzaga, No. 164 Utah State and No. 182 UC Santa Barbara. This season, Montana State is currently No. 242 in the Nitty-Gritty listings. Idaho is the highest ranked Big Sky team at No. 133. Montana State's best wins of the season have been over No. 145 SMU and No. 222 Seattle.
IT'S ALL-ACADEMIC:
Six Bobcat players that received All-Big Sky Conference Academic accolades in 2017 return to the MSU rotation. They include Lexi Goroski, Libby Christensen, Sydney Mathison, Hannah Scott, Allyssa Rizzo and Kelsie White.
1,000-KILL CLUB:
Senior Natalie Passeck is closing in on becoming just the 16th member of Montana State's 1000-Kill Club. The last member of the club, Kim Stonehouse, made the list in 2006. Here's a look at MSU's all-time career kills list.
1. Diane Terrall, 78-81.......... 1,451
2. Brandy Anderson, 95-98... 1,380
3. Maggie Koughan, 82-85.... 1,328
4. Stephanie Laya, 97-00 ..... 1,260
5. Meggie Malyurek, 02-05.. 1,136
6. Moyra Ditchfield, 80-83.... 1,135
7. Kim Stonehouse, 03-06.... 1,129
8. Megan Zanto, 02-05......... 1,128
9. Kim Steffel, 89-92............ 1,108
10. Michelle Usitalo, 81-84..... 1,060
11. Cori Carper, 96-99............ 1,058
12. Mindy Nowak, 96-99 ...... 1,044
13. Stephanie Nowicki, 86-89. 1,033
14. Karen Weyler, 94-97........ 1,026
15. Aimee Halyk, 99-02.......... 1,014
--- Natalie Passeck, 15---...... 942
1,000-DIG CLUB:
Junior Allyssa Rizzo became the just the ninth member of Montana State's 1,000-Dig Club when she notched 23 saves against Louisiana on Sept. 7. The last member of the club, Kasey Schlatter, made the list in 2014. Here's a look at MSU's all-time career digs list.
1. Kandice Kelly, 03-06......... 1,720
2. Meghan Albiston, 07-10... 1,577
3. Nicole Baker, 10-13.......... 1,564
4. Allyssa Rizzo, 16--............ 1,319
5. Kamber Kelly, 01-04......... 1,262
6. Meggie Malyurek, 02-05.. 1,223
7. Stephanie Laya, 97-00...... 1,183
8. Mindy Nowak, 96-99........ 1,073
9. Kasey Schlatter, 11-14 1,059
