Bobcats Rally to Upset Broncos

Thursday, September 15

BOZEMAN

7 p.m.

Montana State University

4-6,0-0Big Sky

Boise State

7-2,0-0Mountain West

Boise St.

Montana St.

Montana State celebrates its victory over Boise State, Thursday night in Shroyer Gym.

9/15/2022 11:00:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

By: Tom Schulz

Montana State junior Avery Turnage recorded a career-high 16 kills to lead four Bobcats in double-figures as MSU rallied for a 19-25, 25-23, 23-25, 25-21, 15-11 win over defending Mountain West Conference champion Boise State on Thursday night in front of 1,153 fans in Shroyer Gym to open the Bobcat Invitational.

"I'm so proud of the response this group had in overcoming adversity and managing the week," said MSU Associate Head Coach Cole Aiazzi. "We showed a lot of heart and fight and competed for every point. The crowd in Shroyer really energized the gym and our kids fed off that. It was unbelievable.

"We were finally aggressive in the big moments," Aiazzi added. "It was a total team effort with everyone rising to the occasion and the level of play."

Montana State (4-6) struggled to find its rhythm in the opening set as Boise State (8-2) took an 18-11 lead. MSU cut the margin to 18-14 but would get no closer as the Broncos won the opening set on a Lauren Ohlinger kill.

MSU broke away from 18-all in the second stanza with a 4-0 run behind two Turnage kills and two via Courtney Weatherby. The Bobcats held a slim cushion down the stretch as BSU's Paige Bartsch pounded down a kill to pull Boise State to within 24-23. A BSU blocking error on the ensuing play evened the match.

The third set featured 13 ties and nine lead changes. Boise State held a 24-20 advantage in the waning moments as the Bobcats fought off three set points following a block by Kaycee O'Dell and Jourdain Klein. BSU's Kiersten Van Kirk ended the frame with a kill to give the Broncos a 2-1 lead.

MSU trailed 17-14 midway through the fourth set, before going on a 6-1 run capped by a Kelly Cross service ace to give the Bobcats a 20-18 lead. Following a BSU timeout, the Cats finished out the game on a 5-3 run, forcing a fifth set following a Jordan Radick kill.

Turnage, Klein, Radick, O'Dell and Weatherby each had three kills in the fourth set as the Bobcats outhit the Broncos .306 to .114.

"I thought Audrey did a great job distributing the ball," Aiazzi said. "Offensively, our balance did a very efficient job scoring points. And our defense was absolutely amazing in the late going."

Boise State got out to an early 3-1 lead in the fifth frame before Montana State responded with five consecutive points. MSU kept the momentum, building a 10-6 advantage on a dig to kill by Hofer. An Ohlinger kill pulled the Broncos to within 11-9, but again MSU fought back with 3-1 run as a block by O'Dell and Klein gave the Bobcats its first match point. BSU scored the next point, before Weatherby capped off the comeback with her 15^th kill.

Aside from Turnage and Weatherby, also posting double-figure kills were Radick (14) and Klein (11).

Hofer finished with a career-high 55 assists, while adding seven digs, two kills and two blocks.

Defensively, true-freshman and Great Falls product Lauren Lindseth notched a season and match-high 32 digs, while Maci Abshier (13), Cross (12) and Weatherby (11) also hit double-digits. O'Dell paced the Bobcats at the net with six blocks, while Klein added five and Radick four.

BSU was led by Bartsch and Ohlinger with 22 and 20 kills, respectively.

MSU plays No. 18 Washington, Friday night at 7 p.m. in Shroyer Gym.