Bobcats Loot Vandals

Sunday, March 7

Moscow, ID

3 p.m. (MT)

Montana State University

9-2,9-2Big Sky

Idaho

5-6,4-5Big Sky

Montana St.

Idaho

Photo by: R. Dean Hendrickson

3/7/2021 5:26:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

MSU’s 9-2 start to the Big Sky Conference season is the best in school history.

By: Tom Schulz

MOSCOW, Idaho – Kira Thomsen pounded down a team-high 11 kills and Hannah Scott notched nine as the Montana State volleyball team used an efficient offensive attack, en route to a 25-20, 25-21, 25-22 victory over Idaho on Sunday afternoon in Memorial Gym.

MSU's 9-2 start to the Big Sky Conference season is the best in school history.

Montana State (9-2, 9-2) broke away early in the opening set behind the serving of Libby Christensen. Following an Idaho (5-6, 4-5) hitting error the Bobcats held a 9-2 advantage. MSU held the margin leading 18-10 after a Jourdain Klein kill. The Vandals rallied late in the frame closing within 21-19, but MSU answered with a 4-1 run, winning the set on a solo block by Emma Pence.

The second set featured five ties and two lead changes. Even at 17-all, the Bobcats rattled off five straight points behind kills from Thomsen, Susanna Sovde and Allie Lynch, and an ace from Haley Merkes. An Idaho service error gave the Bobcats a 2-0 lead.

The final set mirrored the second as the game was tied seven times, with four lead changes. With the score knotted at 21-all, a Pence kill followed by a Pence and Merkes block gave the Bobcats a little breathing room at 23-21. The Vandals captured the next point, before a Merkes kill and an Idaho hitting miscue gave MSU the win in straight sets.

"It was a real mature outing on our part," said MSU head coach Daniel Jones, "I'm proud of the way we played against a good team. We did a nice job responding to Idaho's pressure. We took it in stride and pushed back.

"Our challenge before the match was to go out and make the decision to play at the level, we know we can," Jones added. "We had four kids hit .300 or better and a lot of that credit goes to our setters. They did a nice job getting our hitters into good position."

Also contributing to the Bobcat attack Pence and Sovde. MSU's middle blocking tandem combined for 11 kills and a .391 attack mark. Merkes finished with seven kills, while Klein added five.

Delaney Shearan and Lynch dished out 19 and 18 assists, respectively. Defensively, Christensen, Thomsen, and Scott each had nine digs.

"It was a fun game to coach," Jones said. "It was two teams executing their game plans at a high level. They were solid, and we were equally as strong. We just executed a little better at the end of each set. We expect another tight battle tomorrow night."

Kennedy Warren led Idaho with a match-high 16 kills and seven digs.

The Bobcats and Vandals will finish its two-match series at 7 p.m. (MT) on Monday evening in Memorial Gym.