Bobcat Rally Falls Short in Five

Thursday, September 30

BOZEMAN

7 p.m.

Montana State University

5-9,1-2Big Sky

Weber State

8-5,3-0Big Sky

Weber St.

Montana St.

Emma Pence (12) had 11 kills and eight blocks against Weber State on Thursday night.

9/30/2021 11:17:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

Montana State’s comeback rally against defending Big Sky Conference champion Weber State fell two-points short as the Wildcats handed MSU a 17-25, 25-20, 25-23, 24-26, 15-13 setback on Thursday night in Shroyer Gym.

By: Tom Schulz

Montana State's comeback rally against defending Big Sky Conference champion Weber State fell two-points short as the Wildcats handed MSU a 17-25, 25-20, 25-23, 24-26, 15-13 setback on Thursday night in Shroyer Gym.

Montana State (5-9, 1-2) dropped its fifth five-set match of the season, while Weber State (8-5, 3-0) remained undefeated in Big Sky play.

"That was a very good performance by MSU volleyball," said Bobcat head coach Daniel Jones. "Weber State is the defending champs and unbeaten in conference and we showed we can play at the same level. This match was a huge confidence builder, despite the loss.

"The challenge now for our young team is to back it up against Idaho State on Saturday night," Jones added. "I thought we executed the game plan very well. The middles were great offensively, the setters did a nice job in execution and our passing line stepped up."

The Bobcats cruised to the first set win outhitting the Wildcats .216 to .154. WSU flipped the table in the second stanza and used a 4-0 run late in the frame to pull away.

Set three featured 15 ties and seven lead changes. With the game tied at 23-all, Weber State took advantage of a kill by defending league MVP Rylin Adams and a Bobcat hitting miscue to take a 2-1 match lead.

MSU held a 17-13 lead midway through the fourth frame following a block by Jourdain Klein and Jordan Radick. Weber State answered with a 6-2 run to even the set at 19-all. The contest was even four times down the stretch before the Bobcats got back-to-back kills by Hannah Scott and Radick to force a fifth and deciding set.

The Bobcats got out to a 7-2 lead in the final set following a Scott kill. MSU held the advantage until an Adams block tied the game at 10-all. MSU scored the next to two as Klein and Emma Pence blocked Adams on back-to-back plays. Klein and Pence combined for another block to give MSU a 13-11 cushion, but it proved to be the Bobcats' last point as Weber State rattled off four consecutive points for the 3-2 victory.

MSU was led by Scott with 22 kills, while Kira Thomsen and Pence added 12 and 11, respectively. Setters Allie Lynch and Audrey Hofer dished out 32 and 22 assists as the Cats finished the match hitting .152 from the field and holding a 65-59 edge in kills.

Defensively, libero Maci Abshier recorded a career-high 25 digs, while Thomsen also posted a career-high with 24 saves. Also notching double-digit digs were Scott 14 and Lynch 13. Pence paced MSU at the net with a match-high eight blocks, while Klein finished with seven, and Radick four.

Adams led Weber State with 22 kills and 13 digs.

MSU will host Idaho State on Saturday night at 7 p.m. in Shroyer Gym.