BOBCATS TRAVEL TO NORTH TEXAS

Friday, September 10

Denton, TX

12 p.m.

Montana State University

Abilene Christian

9/9/2021 3:29:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

VB NOTES

The Bobcat volleyball team will travel to Denton, Texas this week to take part in the North Texas Challenge.

By: Tom Schulz

WHO:                         Montana State vs. Abilene Christian
WHEN:                       Friday, Sept. 10 at 12 p.m. (MT)
WHERE:                     Denton, Texas - North Texas Volleyball Center
RECORDS:                  Montana St. 2-4, 0-0; Abilene Christian 3-3, 0-0
SERIES:                       First Meeting
LAST MTG:                First Meeting

WHO:                         Montana State at North Texas
WHEN:                       Friday, Sept. 10 at 6 p.m. (MT)
WHERE:                     Denton, Texas - North Texas Volleyball Center
RECORDS:                  Montana St. 2-4, 0-0; North Texas 4-2, 0-0
SERIES:                       Montana State leads series 1-0 (1995)
LAST MTG:                Sept. 15, 1995 - Montana State 3, @No. Texas 1

WHO:                         Montana State vs. Jackson State
WHEN:                       Saturday, Sept. 11 at 10 a.m. (MT)
WHERE:                     Denton, Texas - North Texas Volleyball Center
RECORDS:                  Montana St. 2-4, 0-0; Jackson State 0-3, 0-0
SERIES:                       Montana State leads series 1-0 (1996)
LAST MTG:                Sept. 14, 1996 - Montana State 3, Jackson St. 0

LIVE STATS:               Live statistics of all three MSU matches at the North Texas Challenge can be accessed at msubobcats.com
LIVE STREAMING: Only MSU's match against North Texas on Friday at 6 p.m. (MT) will be lived streamed (fee) at the UNT Challenge. Visit the Bobcat Volleyball schedule page at msubobcats.com for link to live streaming.

NEXT UP: The Bobcat volleyball team will travel to Denton, Texas this week to take part in the North Texas Challenge. The Bobcats open play on Friday, Sept. 10 at 12 p.m. (MT) against Abilene Christian, and will close out action on Friday against the Mean Green a 6 p.m. MSU's final match in the North Texas Challenge will be against Jackson State on Saturday at 10 a.m. All matches will be played in the North Texas Volleyball Center.

TOURNEY TALK: Host North Texas is the only team heading into this week's tournament with a winning record. North Texas is 4-2, Abilene Christian 3-3, MSU 2-4, and Jackson State 0-3...

BOBCAT BLURBS: Emma Pence was named to the Bobcat Classic All-Tourney team last weekend for her efforts against Arkansas, Portland and Utah State...Hannah Scott became the 16th member of MSU's 1000-kill club after notching 15 kills against Portland on Friday night.

SIDE OUTS:
*     The University of Arkansas (3-0) captured last week's Bobcat Classic title
*     Hannah Scott now has 1,025 career kills, which ranks 15th all-time at Montana State
*     Frosh Jordan Radick had 12 block assists against Arkansas- highest in the Big Sky to date
*     The Cats rank #1 in the Big Sky & #62 in the nation averaging 2.42 blocks per set
*     MSU ranks #1 in the Big Sky and #17 in the country in total team blocks (63.0)
*     Montana State ranks #1 in the Big Sky and #21 in the country in team assists (297)
*     The Bobcats rank #33 in the nation with 314 team kills
*     Freshman Jordan Radick is #1 in the Big Sky and #72 in the nation, averaging 1.30 bps
*     Sophomore Emma Pence is #3 in the Big Sky and #94 in the nation, averaging 1.23 bps
*     Pence's 32 total blocks rank #1 in the Big Sky and #16 in the country this week


THE SCOUTING REPORT: Abilene Christian is 3-3 overall after recording a 1-2 mark at its own Wildcat Classic last weekend in the Teague Center. The Wildcats opened play with a 3-0 loss to New Mexico as Lindsey Toney and Jada Birkel paced ACU with 11 kills, apiece. In its 3-0 loss to Green Bay last Saturday, Toney again guided Abilene Christian with 10 kills. The Wildcats finished the weekend registering a 3-0 win over Texas Southern. Braden Bossier led ACU with a match-high 13 kills, while adding a .722 (13-0-18) attack mark. On the season, Toney, 6-foot outside hitter from New Braunfels, Texas, and Birkel, a 6-foot outside hitter from Austin, Texas pace the Wildcats averaging 4.57 and 3.24 kills per set, respectively. North Texas is 4-2 on the season after going 2-1 at the Texas-Arlington Tournament, last weekend. The Mean Green defeated Sam Houston (3-2) and UT Arlington (3-1), while dropping a 3-0 decision to Tulsa. In its win over Sam Houston, North Texas was led by Rhett Robinson with 16 kills, while Sarah Haeussler and Addison Corley added 15, apiece. for the match, Haeussler, a 6-1 middle blocker from Aledo, Texas posted a .438 (15-1-32) attack mark along with seven blocks. In its victory over UTA, the Mean Green were led by Robinson, a 5-11 outside hitter from Krum, Texas with 28 kills. In its lone loss, North Texas was paced by Robinson with 18 kills. On the season, the Mean Green are led by Robinson, who averages 4.57 kills and 2.14 digs per set. Jackson State is 0-3 on the season with losses to Tennessee Tech (3-1), Auburn (3-0), and La Tech (3-0). Its scheduled match against Southeastern Louisiana slated for last Tuesday was postponed. The Tigers have been led this season by Alexis Williams and Jylen Whitten, who average 3.47 and 3.00 kills, respectively. Against La Tech, Williams, a 5-9 outside hitter from Manvel, Texas recorded nine kills and 11 digs, while Whitten, a 5-9 outside hitter from Redondo Beach, Calif., added eight kills and seven digs.

HARD BLOCK CAFE: Montana State is ranked first in the Big Sky Conference averaging 2.42 blocks per set. MSU's 2.42 bps also ranks #62 in the nation. The Bobcats' 63 total blocks is first in the conference and #17 in the nation this week. Individually, freshman Jordan Radick leads the league averaging 1.30 blocks per set, which ranks #72 in the country. Sophomore Emma Pence is third in the Big Sky averaging 1.23 blocks per contest. That number ranks #94 in the country. Freshman Jourdain Klein chips in .96 bps, which is tenth in the league and #257 in the nation. The Bobcats had a season-best 18 team blocks in its match with Arkansas, last Thursday night.

BEAM ME UP SCOTTY: Senior Hannah Scott went over the 1,000-kill mark with her fourth block against Portland on Sept. 3. The Hawthorne, Calif, product is now the 16th member of MSU's prestigious 1000-kill club. Her 1,025 career kills rank 15th on Montana State's all-time kills chart and with just 36 more kills will move into MSU's all-time top 10. On the season, she is averaging 3.12 kills per set, which ranks seventh in the Big Sky. Her 81 total kills to date are fifth in the Big Sky and #70 in the nation. Last weekend, Scott averaged 3.14 kills and 2.21 digs per set, while hitting .181 from the field. Her best match of the weekend came against Portland with 15 kills, a .324 attack mark nine digs and a block. Two weeks ago, Scott was named to the Boise State All-Tournament team. She has been in double-figure kills in all six matches and has registered a season-high 15 kills on three occasions. Scott is currently second on the squad averaging 3.62 points per set, which is eighth in the Big Sky Conference and #77 in the country. During the spring season, Scott had a breakout campaign which culminated in being named to the all-Big Sky First-Team as she averaged 2.89 kills per set, while hitting .232 from the floor. Scott posted a career-high 25 kills against Idaho State on Feb. 20. In addition, she recorded 18 double-figure kill matches. Scott also averaged 2.18 digs per set and logged seven double-digit dig matches, including a season-high 15 against Portland State on Feb. 28. Scott recorded a career-high 10 blocks against Northern Colorado at the league tournament in 2019.

CLIMBING THE LADDER: As the MSU program continues to improve, its numbers within the Big Sky Conference's statistical categories have shown remarkable improvement, as well. In the 15 team statistical categories acknowledged by the NCAA, the Cats rank in the top three of 10 categories, including #1 blocks per set (2.42), team assists (297), team kills (314) and team total blocks (63); #2 in assists per set (11.42) and team digs (319), and #3 in hitting percentage (.228), kills per set (12.08), team service aces (37) and team total attacks (811).

A LENDING HAND: Former Bozeman High product and Montana Class AA state champion setter Allie Lynch is averaging 4.60 assists per game running MSU's 6-2 offense. Last weekend at the Bobcat Classic, she played in eight sets and averaged 4.75 assists and .63 digs per set. Lynch dished out a weekend-high 22 assists against Arkansas. On the season, she is also averaging 1.35 digs per set, including a season-best 10 saves against Boise State. Sophomore Delaney Shearan averaged 3.70 assists and 2.21 digs per set during the Bobcat Classic. She has a weekend-best 17 assists and 11 digs against Utah State. Shearan also recorded one kill against Portland. Last spring, Shearan dished out a season and career-high 33 assists in MSU 3-2 win over Idaho State on Feb. 20. True-freshman Audrey Hofer received the starting nod against Arkansas and Utah State, last weekend. The Helena native averaged 5.17 assists per contest, including a weekend-best 27 assists as MSU dropped a 3-2 decision to Utah State. On the season, the Helena Capital grad is averaging 5.53 assists per set, which ranks tenth in the Big Sky Conference. Hofer also chips in 1.47 digs per set. She posted a season-high eight saves against Arkansas, last Thursday night. She is also second on the team with five service aces.

MAY I ASSIST YOU?: Senior setter Allie Lynch is slowly creeping up the all-time Montana State assists chart. The Bozeman native went over the 1,000-assist plateau against Portland State on Oct. 24, 2019. Former Bobcat standout Brooke Olsen-Roush (1996-99) holds the all-time Bobcats record set back in the old 15-point scoring era. Here's a look at MSU's all-time Top 10, and where Lynch stands:

1.            Brooke Olsen, 1996-99                   4,712
2.            Kamber Kelly, 2001-04                    3,751
3.            Jennifer Lundquist, 2009-12         2,500
4.            Lorraine Morrison, 1999-01          2,293
5.            Kira Laden, 1995-96                         1,893
6.            Allie Lynch, 2017---                          1,829
7.            Marsha Dirks, 1985-87                    1,785
8.            Katie Harrington, 2014-15             1,779
9.            Stacey Nielsen, 1987-89                 1,735
10.          Christi Ryan, 1984-85                      1,497

THOMSEN TIME: Two weeks ago, sophomore Kira Thomsen earned tournament MVP honors last weekend at the Boise State Invitational after posting a .337 attack mark and averaging 3.42 kills, 2.83 digs and .58 aces per set. At the Bobcat Classic, the Parker, Colo., product averaged 3.00 kills and 1.64 digs per set with a .260 attack mark. Thomsen notched a weekend-best 18 kills against Portland and a weekend-high 11 digs against Arkansas. On the season, she has been in double-figure kills on five occasions and has produced two double-doubles. Thomsen currently ranks sixth in the Big Sky Conference in kills (3.19 kps) and seventh in points (3.63). Her 3.63 point per set ranks #59 in the nation and her 83 total kills in third in the Big Sky and #60 in the country. Last spring, Thomsen earned First-Team All-Big Sky Conference honors after averaging 3.52 kills and 4.02 points per set during MSU's spring season. She registered a season-best 22 kills at Weber State on March 20, and a season-high 26 digs against Portland State on Feb.27.

PENCE POWER: Sophomore Emma Pence, who was one of two players in the league that garnered #BigSkyVB Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week accolades during spring action, averaged 2.14 kills and 1.00 blocks per set and posted a .400 attack mark at the Bobcat Classic. For her efforts, she was named to the Bobcat Classic All-Tournament team. Pence currently ranks third in the Big Sky averaging 1.23 blocks per set, which ranks 94th in the nation. Pence's 32 total blocks ranks 16th in the country. On the season, the 6-2 middle blocker is averaging 1.77 kills and 1.23 blocks, while hitting .309 from the field. Pence has been in double-figure kills twice, including a season-best 11 kills against Arkansas. She registered a season-high nine blocks at Boise State two weeks ago. Last spring, Pence was a First-Team All-Big Sky honoree.

THE MENACE FROM ENNIS: Jourdain Klein, a 6-1 outside hitter from Ennis, Mont., averaged .69 kills and 1.15 blocks per set at the Bobcat Classic. Klein notched a weekend-high five kills in MSU's 3-1 loss to Portland. Last spring, as a redshirt-freshman, Klein was named to the Second-Team All-Big Sky Conference team after averaging 1.49 kills and .97 blocks per set, while hitting at a .197 clip. Klein's current .96 bps ranks ninth in the league and 257th in the nation. She tallied a season-high eight blocks against Arkansas, last Thursday. During spring ball, she recorded a season and career-high 14 kills as the Bobcats defeated Portland State on Feb. 28.

WHEN IT SAYS LIBBY, LIBBY, LIBBY: Senior libero Libby Christensen saw action in three matches and 14 sets at the Bobcat Classic. The product of Vacaville, Calif., averaged 2.93 digs, while chipping and ace. She posted a weekend-high 16 saves in MSU's 3-2 loss to Arkansas. Christensen has been in double-digit digs on five occasions this fall, including a season-best 19 digs at Boise State on Aug. 28. On the season, she is averaging 3.35 digs per set, which ranks seventh in the Big Sky Conference. Last spring, Christensen averaged 4.19 digs per set, recording six double-digit digs matches, including a career-high 27 saves as the Bobcats dropped a 3-2 decision to Southern Utah in quarterfinal action of the Big Sky Tournament on March 31.

TURNING THE TIDE: Sophomore Avery Turnage played in all three matches and 11 sets at the Bobcat Classic. On the weekend, the Idaho Falls, Idaho product averaged 1.18 kills and .82 blocks per set. Turnage had a weekend-high six kills against Arkansas and five blocks against Portland. On the season, she is averaging 1.57 kills and .90 blocks per set, while hitting .211 from the floor. She recorded a season-best 10 kills against Long Beach State and seven blocks against Boise State.

MORE FROM THE MIDDLE: True-freshman Jordan Radick and sophomore Kaycee O'Dell combined to average 1.36 kills and 1.71 blocks per set at the middle blocking spot during the Bobcat Classic. Radick, a graduate of Bozeman High, played in three matches, hitting .204. She had 22 blocks, including 12 against Arkansas. The mark is the highest in the Big Sky Conference this season. O'Dell, a product of Glendale, Ariz., saw action in two sets.