Cats Advance to Big Sky Semifinals; Face Weber State

Friday, November 19

Ogden, UT

7 p.m.

Montana State University

Weber State

MSU celebrates a point in its 3-2 win over Northern Arizona on Thursday night.

Photo by: Big Sky Conference

11/19/2021 11:47:00 AM | Women's Volleyball

With its victory last night, Montana State advances to the semifinals of the Big Sky Conference tournament for the tenth time in program history.

By: Tom Schulz

Montana State Volleyball – Match Notes – Nov. 19, 2021
#4 Montana State (15-13, 10-6) at #1 Weber State (19-8, 13-3) – Ogden, Utah – Swenson Gym, 7 p.m.

Big Sky Conference Tournament Semifinals:

- With its 3-2 win over Northern Arizona last night the Montana State volleyball program secured its third consecutive winning season, a milestone that hasn't been matched since 2002-04.

- MSU's 3-2 win over Northern Arizona was its third straight over the Lumberjacks. In the last six meetings with Northern Arizona the match has gone to five sets on five occasions with the Bobcats holding a 3-2 advantage in those contests.

- With its victory last night, Montana State advances to the semifinals of the Big Sky Conference tournament for the tenth time in program history. The Bobcats have never played in a Big Sky Conference championship match, going 0-9 all-time in semifinals action.

- MSU's last trip to a semifinal match came in 2019 when it fell to eventual Big Sky champion Northern Colorado 29-27, 25-22, 22-25, 25-22 in Sacramento, Calif.

- The closest the Bobcats have come to advancing to the Big Sky title match came in 2003- a 3-2 loss to Eastern Washington (15-10/5^th set); 2002- a 3-2 loss to Sacramento State (15-8/5^th set); and 2000 – a 3-2 loss to Sacramento State (15-10/5^th set).

- Kira Thomsen's 26 kills last night against Northern Arizona established a new career-high for the sophomore outside hitter from Parker, Colorado. Her previous career-best of 22 kills came against Weber State on March 21, 2021.

- Jordan Radick's 14 kills vs. NAU was a career-high for the true-freshman from Bozeman. Radick, who was named Big Sky Conference Freshman of the Year earlier this week, also posted a team-high .571 (14-2-21) attack mark against the Lumberjacks. Her .571 hitting percentage marked the ninth time this season she has hit .350 or better for a match and was the second time hitting over .500 from the floor.

- True-freshman Courtney Weatherby made her fifth straight start as the Bobcats' libero last night against Northern Arizona. Up to that point, she had been used as a utility player, seeing action in just 25 sets. Weatherby's 35 digs against the Lumberjacks were a career-high and fell just three saves away from tying the all-time MSU single match mark of 38 digs set by Kandice Kelly against Bradley on Sept. 9, 2006.

- Hannah Scott's 16 kills against Northern Arizona moves her all-time career total to 1,272 kills, moving her past Stephanie Laya (1,260) into fourth on MSU's all-time career kill chart.

- Sophomore middle blocker Emma Pence had five blocks in MSU's win over Northern Arizona, last night. On the season, Pence has 146 total blocks, which ranks first in the Big Sky and second in the nation.

- Montana State and Weber State met just once this fall, with the Wildcats rallying from a fifth-set deficit to post a 17-25, 25-20, 25-23, 24-26, 15-13 victory in Bozeman. It was the sixth straight victory for Weber State over MSU.

- In the match on Sept. 30 against WSU, the Bobcats were led by Hannah Scott with 22 kills and 14 digs. Kira Thomsen added 12 kills and 24 digs, and Emma Pence 11 kills and eight blocks. Weber State was led by Rylin Adams with 22 kills and 13 digs, Dani Nay with 17 kills and 16 digs and Sam Schiess with 11 kills and seven blocks.

- In the fifth set between Montana State and Weber State on Sept. 30, the Bobcats held leads of 6-1, 7-2, 9-5 and 13-11, before the Wildcats scored the final four points – two MSU hitting errors, a kill by Sam Schiess, and a kill by Riley Weinert to escape with the win.