Cats Sweep Griz; Bring Main Line Trophy to Bozeman

Monday, February 15

Missoula, Mont.

7 p.m.

Montana State University

4-2,4-2Big Sky

Montana

1-7,1-7Big Sky

Montana St.

Montana

MSU's Kira Thomsen (6) posted a match-high 20 kills as the Bobcats cruised to a 3-0 victory over Montana to capture the first Main Line Trophy.

Photo by: Todd Goodrich

2/15/2021 10:09:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

By: Tom Schulz

Playing its most efficient match of the season, Montana State out-hit Montana .354 to .088 and cruised to a 25-16, 25-17, 25-20 victory over the Grizzlies on Monday night to complete a sweep of its rival to bring the inaugural Main Line Trophy to Bozeman for the next year.

"It's fun that the Main Line Trophy already means something to them," said MSU head coach Daniel Jones. "We came into the match with a great mind-set and we were very connected. They knew this match would be something special and they executed the game plan very well. It was a great response to last night's win where we thought we left some assignments on the court."

Montana State (4-2, 4-2) exploded from the opening serve rattling off nine straight points. Montana (1-7, 1-7) whittled the margin down to 13-12, but the Cats answered with a 9-3 run to put the first set in the books. MSU won the frame on Kira Thomsen's seventh kill of the match.

"For a sophomore, Kira really showed some maturity," Jones said. "She made some big time plays and wanted the ball. I thought she was also very smart in her play."

MSU got out to an 11-4 lead in the second set following back-to-back points by Hannah Scott- off a kill and service ace. The Bobcats held its advantage winning the set on a Thomsen kill. Scott posted nine kills and a .750 attack mark, while Thomsen added six kills in the stanza.

Montana took its first lead of the match to open the third set and held an 11-7 advantage before two kills by Scott, a service ace via Delaney Shearan and a block by Jourdain Klein and Emma Pence tied the set at 11-all. UM scored the next point but again the Bobcats responded, this time with a 4-0 run capped by a Klein kill. UM would close to within one-point but another MSU 6-1 run culminated by a Thomsen kill secured the win for MSU. Klein posted the final kill for the Bobcats.

"We played at a very high level," Jones said. "We served tough, established a big block and played good defense behind the block. That's exactly what we want to see every match."

Thomsen led all players with a match-high 20 kills, while notching a .368 attack mark. Scott finished with 11 kills and a .500 hitting mark, while Pence recorded seven kills and a .500 attack mark.
For the match, the Bobcats also held a 47-27 cushion in kills.

MSU's setting duo of Shearan and Allie Lynch dished out 17 and 15 assists, respectively. Defensively, Alexis Goroski registered 16 digs, while Pence and Klein owned the net with eight and four blocks, apiece.

Montana was led by Amethyst Harper with eight kills and five digs.

The Bobcats will host Idaho State, Feb. 20-21 in Shroyer Gym.