Montana State University
Idaho
HOME COOKIN’: Cats Host Idaho
10/9/2018 5:43:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
After playing its last four matches on the road, the Montana State volleyball team will enjoy some home cookin’ hosting a pair of Big Sky Conference games inside the confines of Shroyer Gym. MSU will face Idaho, Thursday, Oct. 11 at 7 p.m., and will conclude weekend play against Eastern Washington on Saturday, Oct. 13 7:30 p.m
HOME COOKIN':
After playing its last four matches on the road, the Montana State volleyball team will enjoy some home cookin' hosting a pair of Big Sky Conference games inside the confines of Shroyer Gym. MSU will face Idaho, Thursday, Oct. 11 at 7 p.m., and will conclude weekend play against Eastern Washington on Saturday, Oct. 13 7:30 p.m. Saturday's match is pushed back a 1/2 hour due to Homecoming festivities.
A CLOSER LOOK AT THIS WEEK'S OPPONENTS:
Idaho enters Thursday's match 10-8 overall and 4-2 in Big Sky Conference action. The Vandals, who were the preseason pick to win a league title, currently sit in third place- one game behind Weber State and Idaho State. Last weekend, Idaho won a pair of home matches, defeating Sacramento State 3-1, before closing out the weekend with a 3-0 decision over Portland State. Senior Sarah Sharp led the Vandals past Portland State with 10 kills and a .400 attack mark. She also posted 15 kills and a .317 attack mark against Sacramento State. Senior Kaela Straw also had a big match against the Hornets with 18 kills and .474 attack mark. On the season, Straw and Sharp pace the Vandals, averaging 3.46 and 3.12 kills, respectively. Eastern Washington is 8-10 overall and 0-6 in Big Sky action. The Eagles will look for its first league victory at Montana on Thursday.
Opponent: Idaho (9,980)
Nickname: Vandals
Head Coach: Debbie Buchanan
2018 Record: 10-8 overall; 4-2/Big Sky
Opponent: Eastern Washington (11,473)
Nickname: Eagles
Head Coach: Leslie Flores-Cloud
2018 Record: 8-10 overall; 0-6/Big Sky
SIDE OUTS:
* MSU trails Idaho 36-9 in its all-time series dating back to the 1976 season
* The Vandals have won 21 straight matches from the Bobcats going back to 1990
* The Cats last win over Idaho was a 3-1 decision in Bozeman on Sept. 14, 1990
* Eastern Washington holds a 55-24 edge in its all-time series with Montana State
* Junior libero Allyssa Rizzo is sixth on MSU's career digs list with 1,209 saves
* Rizzo is second in the Big Sky at 5.37 digs per set, which ranks 19th nationally
* Thirteen of MSU's 17 rostered players have been in the program two years or less
* Montana State is averaging 1,009 fans per match, which ranks 52nd in the nation
SUPER SAVER:
Junior libero Allyssa Rizzo has earned two Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors this season. Last week, she averaged 4.43 dig per set, which included a high of 17 saves in MSU's win over Southern Utah in Cedar City. The product of Crestwood, Ill., posted 31 digs in seven sets for the week. 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 11 matches with 20 or more digs. Her current 365 digs on the season is creeping up MSU's single-season digs chart. Nicole Baker (2011) holds the Bobcat single-season record at 514. Rizzo is second in the Big Sky averaging 5.37 digs per set, which also ranks No. 19 in the nation. She has notched 1,209 career digs, which is sixth on MSU's all-time career digs chart.
PINTREST:
As a unit Montana State's outside hitters manned the pins last weekend producing 53 kills, while hitting .180 from the floor. In addition, the foursome tallied 44 digs and added seven blocks. Natalie Passeck led the way averaging 3.14 kills per set with a .298 attack mark. The Parker, Colo., native has recorded double-figure kills in seven of her last eight matches. Sophomore Hannah Scott averaged 2.29 kills per set while taking 49 swings over the weekend. The Hawthorne, Calif., product also posted 13 digs. Evi Wilson recorded eight kills and two blocks on the week, while freshman Hailey Merkes chipped in seven kills, six digs and two blocks.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING:
As a team, the Bobcats rank in the top five in four Big Sky Conference statistical categories. MSU ranked third in team digs (1,070); fourth in team aces (90) and digs per set (15.74). MSU is listed fifth in the league in attack per set (35.89). Montana State is also ranked among the top 100 in NCAA Division I in digs per set (96th) and total digs (97th). Individually, Allyssa Rizzo ranks among the best liberos in the nation. Her 5.37 digs per set is second in the Big Sky Conference and ranks 19th nationally. Rizzo is also ranked 26th in the nation in total digs and 95th in aces (23). Sophomore middle blocker Kelsie White's 64 total blocks is 185th 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 185th in the nation with 64 total blocks, while her .97 blocks per set is listed 240th, 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. Weber State is the highest ranked Big Sky team at No. 103. The Cats' best wins of the season have been over No. 160 SMU and No. 204 Seattle U.
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---...... 906
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. Kamber Kelly, 01-04......... 1,262
5. Meggie Malyurek, 02-05.. 1,223
6. Allyssa Rizzo, 16--............ 1,209
7. Stephanie Laya, 97-00...... 1,183
8. Mindy Nowak, 96-99........ 1,073
9. Kasey Schlatter, 11-14 1,059
