Bobcat Volleyball Season Comes to End in Semifinals of Big Sky Tourney

Friday, November 25

Ogden, UT

6 p.m.

Montana State University

14-16,9-7Big Sky

Portland State

18-11,11-5Big Sky

Montana St.

Portland St.

Photo by: Big Sky Conference

Bobcat Volleyball Season Comes to End in Semifinals of Big Sky Tourney

11/25/2022 8:44:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

“I’m so proud of this team,” said MSU acting head coach Cole Aiazzi. “With all the adversity they faced, they trusted in each other, they trusted the staff and we were able to beat a good Weber State team and finish in the final four of the conference. We’ll learn from this, and collectively, we need to take the next step with this program and get to a championship match. We have a lot of returners who will be hungry to build on our performances of the last few weeks.”

By: Tom Schulz

Two days after knocking off No. 3-seed and host Weber State in the quarterfinals of the Big Sky Conference tournament, the Montana State volleyball team ran out of steam as No. 2 Portland State handed the Bobcats a 25-18, 25-22, 19-25, 25-7 setback in semifinal action on Friday night in Swenson Gym.

Portland State, who will face No. 1 Northern Colorado in the Big Sky title match on Saturday, out-hit the Bobcats .319 to .151, while also holding advantages in kills, service aces, digs and blocks.

After trailing 2-0 and down 11-9 in the third set, Montana State (14-16) grabbed the momentum with a 10-0 run and closed out the set on a Portland State (18-11) hitting error. The momentum, however, was short-lived as the Vikings flexed its muscle closing out the match on a 12-0 run.

"I'm so proud of this team," said MSU acting head coach Cole Aiazzi. "With all the adversity they faced, they trusted in each other, they trusted the staff and we were able to beat a good Weber State team and finish in the final four of the conference. We'll learn from this, and collectively, we need to take the next step with this program and get to a championship match. We have a lot of returners who will be hungry to build on our performances of the last few weeks."

Montana State was led by Kira Thomsen with 14 kills, six digs and two blocks, while Courtney Weatherby added 12 kills and 10 digs.

"A lot of credit has to go to Portland State," Aiazzi said. "They're an older team that was very hungry. They put added pressure on us in the fourth set, and we didn't respond."

PSU was paced by Makayla Lewis with 19 kills and 10 digs.