Cats Cage Panthers

Friday, September 20

Tempe, Ariz.

5 p.m.(MT)

Montana State University

2-8,0-0Big Sky

Prairie View A&M

3-11,0-0SWAC

Montana St.

Prairie View

Bobcats celebrate against Prairie View A&M on Friday night in Tempe, Ariz.

Photo by: Camden Laird

9/20/2024 8:34:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

“The tale of the tape is that we made a choice as a team to attack points,” said MSU head coach Matt Houk. “We were assertive at the point of contact, instead of being passive. The players stepped up to the challenge, and we finished with four kids in double-figure kills.”

By: Tom Schulz

Behind its most efficient offensive match of the season Montana State snapped its seven-match losing streak recording a 25-22, 25-21, 19-25, 25-22 victory over Prairie View A&M at the Webb-Burbridge Classic hosted by Arizona State at Desert Financial Arena on Friday night.

Montana State (2-8) hit a season-high .283, committing just twenty-one errors on 151 attempts. Prairie View A&M (3-11) finished with a .220 attack mark.

"The tale of the tape is that we made a choice as a team to attack points," said MSU head coach Matt Houk. "We were assertive at the point of contact, instead of being passive. The players stepped up to the challenge, and we finished with four kids in double-figure kills."

Junior Madilyn Siebler paced the Bobcat attack with a team-high 14 kills, while Jourdain Kamps and Erika Gustafson each had 13, and Joelie Spelts 11.

Gustafson, a redshirt freshman from Denton, Texas hit a career-best .611 from the floor and her 13 kills were also a career high. Defensively, Kamps and Jordan Radick each notched five blocks, while libero Lauren Lindseth led MSU with 17 digs.

Setters Nellie Stevenson and Audrey Hofer dished out 27 and 25 assists, respectively.

The match was tight throughout and featured 26 ties and seven lead changes.

"We played with a lot more heart," Houk said. "We had the toughness factor. Prairie View is a tough, scrappy team that was coming off a win over Memphis and it was good to play a team of their caliber.

"We did a much better job in the redzone," Houk added referring to MSU's ability to score points when needed most, especially in the waning moments of a set.

Kylee Owens led the Panthers with 17 kills and ten digs.

Montana State faces No. 14 Arizona State on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. (MT).

SET 1 – Prairie View A&M jumped out to an early 8-4 lead, but a 5-0 Bobcat run put MSU ahead for the first time in the match at 9-8. The Panthers responded by building another four-point cushion at 18-14, but again, Montana State answered with a 7-0 run staking a 21-18 advantage. MSU's run was sparked by two kills from Madilyn Siebler and two service aces via Nellie Stevenson. A Joelie Spelts kill gave MSU the set.

SET 2 – Neither team led by more than two points until a block by MSU's Jordan Radick and Madilyn Siebler gave the Bobcats a 17-14 advantage. Montana State never trailed down the stretch going up 2-0 in the match following an attack error by Prairie View's Aliyah Levert. Erika Gustafson and Jourdain Kamps guided MSU in the frame with five kills apiece.

SET 3 – Prairie View A&M outhit Montana State .304 to .237. Leading 14-13 the Panthers outscored the Bobcats 7-3 claiming a 21-16 advantage and kept its cushion winning the set on a Leila Smalls kill.

SET 4 – Lauren Lindseth recorded her second service ace of the match giving MSU a 14-11 lead. The Bobcats held the advantage for the rest of the match. Erika Gustafson's kill gave MSU match point at 24-20. The Panthers fought off two Bobcat attempts, but an attack error by Aliyah Levert gave MSU the much-needed victory.