Bobcats Host Blue-Gold Scrimmage Wednesday Night
8/15/2023 3:43:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
The Montana State volleyball team will hold its annual Blue-Gold scrimmage Wednesday, Aug. 16 at 6 p.m. in Shroyer Gym.
The Montana State volleyball team will hold its annual Blue-Gold scrimmage Wednesday, Aug. 16 at 6 p.m. in Shroyer Gym. According to first-year head coach Matt Houk the Bobcats will play a minimum of four sets. The scrimmage is free and open to the public.
"It's really important to go through a match-day environment," Houk said. "We will get to see what it all looks like with the seats out, the announcer, and music playing. The athletes are going to have to perform with people watching them. It's one thing to do it in an empty gym but it's a whole other thing when there's some judgement happening, and you still need to put your best foot forward."
MSU completed its eighth day of fall drills on Tuesday afternoon with Houk happy with the evolution of the Bobcat squad. "It was a pretty good weekend for us, we're putting in good work, deliberate work. I feel like our athletes are quite focused right now on contact-to-contact. They understand how layers are built upon layers.
"We've been asking them to get a little bit better each day," he added. "We don't need to go from wherever we are today to end of season form by next week. We just need to be the best versions of ourselves, today. And it feels like they're really understanding what that means. I'm really pleased with the way they've progressed so far."
Houk returns 15 veterans, including five starters and a libero from a squad that advanced to the semifinals of the Big Sky Conference Tournament, last November in Ogden, Utah. He also welcomes five newcomers to the roster, as well.
Houk is also happy that his team is starting to find its identity. "I hope if someone walks in to Shroyer who has never seen us play before, that they walk out feeling like, 'hey, that team is really connected, that team plays with a lot of energy. Their effort is great. Their communication is great. They showed up in a gritty and tough way.'
"I hope that is the way they talk about us," he said. "If they can talk about us that way, I have a good suspicion that the volleyball will mimic that, and we'll get the results we want to get."
Following its scrimmage on Wednesday night, the Bobcats will face Wyoming in an exhibition match Saturday, Aug. 19 at 5 p.m. at the Cody (Wyo.) High School gym.
"It's really important to go through a match-day environment," Houk said. "We will get to see what it all looks like with the seats out, the announcer, and music playing. The athletes are going to have to perform with people watching them. It's one thing to do it in an empty gym but it's a whole other thing when there's some judgement happening, and you still need to put your best foot forward."
MSU completed its eighth day of fall drills on Tuesday afternoon with Houk happy with the evolution of the Bobcat squad. "It was a pretty good weekend for us, we're putting in good work, deliberate work. I feel like our athletes are quite focused right now on contact-to-contact. They understand how layers are built upon layers.
"We've been asking them to get a little bit better each day," he added. "We don't need to go from wherever we are today to end of season form by next week. We just need to be the best versions of ourselves, today. And it feels like they're really understanding what that means. I'm really pleased with the way they've progressed so far."
Houk returns 15 veterans, including five starters and a libero from a squad that advanced to the semifinals of the Big Sky Conference Tournament, last November in Ogden, Utah. He also welcomes five newcomers to the roster, as well.
Houk is also happy that his team is starting to find its identity. "I hope if someone walks in to Shroyer who has never seen us play before, that they walk out feeling like, 'hey, that team is really connected, that team plays with a lot of energy. Their effort is great. Their communication is great. They showed up in a gritty and tough way.'
"I hope that is the way they talk about us," he said. "If they can talk about us that way, I have a good suspicion that the volleyball will mimic that, and we'll get the results we want to get."
Following its scrimmage on Wednesday night, the Bobcats will face Wyoming in an exhibition match Saturday, Aug. 19 at 5 p.m. at the Cody (Wyo.) High School gym.
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