Bobcats Take Down Cal Baptist in Four

Saturday, September 2

St. Paul, MN

10 a.m. (MT)

Montana State University

5-1,0-0Big Sky

Cal Baptist

2-4,0-0WAC

California Baptist

Montana St.

the Bobcats celebrate a points off the hands of Avery Turnage (8) on Saturday morning against Cal Baptist.

Photo by: Patrick Hart

9/2/2023 4:01:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

Montana State senior Kira Thomsen recorded a match-high 21 kills and added 14 digs to guide the Bobcats to a 21-25, 25-23, 29-27, 25-23 victory over Cal Baptist in MSU’s final contest at the Tommie Invitational on Saturday morning in Schoencker Arena on the campus of St. Thomas.

By: Tom Schulz

Montana State senior Kira Thomsen recorded a match-high 21 kills and added 14 digs to guide the Bobcats to a 21-25, 25-23, 29-27, 25-23 victory over Cal Baptist in MSU's final contest at the Tommie Invitational on Saturday morning in Schoencker Arena on the campus of St. Thomas. For her efforts, Thomsen was named to the all-tournament team.

"Our response to the loss on Friday was quite positive," said MSU head coach Matt Houk. "We really kept the ebb and flow to a minimum. I felt we were in control and played point by point. We really showed some maturity and stayed present in the moment."

Cal Baptist (2-4) jumped out early taking a 16-7 lead in the opening set, before Montana State (5-1) chipped away at the margin to pull to within one-point at 22-21. However, the Lancers answered closing out the frame with a 3-0 run.

"Cal Baptist is another very good team," Houk said. "They ball handle very well and it was a tough match. But we stayed in there and didn't let them dictate how we were going to play."

The second set featured 12 ties and three lead changes. Tied at 23-all the Bobcats were the beneficiaries of a Jourdain Kamps kill and evened the match on a block by Avery Turnage and Jordan Radick.

Set three proved to be the penultimate game as MSU attempted to pull away from a 21-16 advantage. CBU used a 7-2 run to knot the frame at 23-all. The set was tied four times down the stretch before back-to-back kills by Madilyn Siebler and Turnage gave the Bobcats the victory.

"I thought our blocking was locked in throughout the entire match, particularly in the middle sets," Houk said. "We were able to get our hands into the shot."

MSU recorded 14 team blocks, with eight coming in sets two and three.

The Bobcats found themselves down 16-12 at the midway mark of the fourth, before a kill from Thomsen gave MSU a 20-19 cushion. The two teams traded sideouts seven times before the Bobcats shut the door on a Kamps kill followed by a Cal Baptist hitting error.

"I'm pleased with the way we handled the road trip," Houk commented. "Three matches in three days, and to come out 2-1 is a positive. We learned some good lessons."

Aside from Thomsen's offensive output, also in double-digit kills for the Cats were Siebler 13 and Kamps 12.

Setter Nellie Stevenson dished out a match-high 39 assists and added three aces and 14 digs. Libero Lauren Lindseth guided MSU from the back row with 15 digs. Also in double-figure digs were Audrey Hofer 14, and Kamps 10. Kamps paced the Bobcats at the net with a match-best seven blocks, while Radick and Camryn Greenwald added six apiece.

MSU hosts Seattle U twice this coming week facing the Redhawks on Thursday at 7 p.m., and Friday at 1 p.m. Both matches are slated for Shroyer Gym.