Photo by: Bobcat Creative Services
Bobcats Face No. 2 Nebraska at Husker Invite
9/4/2024 5:15:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
The Montana State volleyball team plays three matches in three days this week at the University of Nebraska Husker Invitational in Lincoln, Neb.
NEXT UP: The Montana State volleyball team plays three matches in three days this week at the University of Nebraska Husker Invitational in Lincoln, Neb. The Bobcats open their 2024 road slate with Denver, Thursday, Sept. 5 at 2:30 p.m. (MT) in The Devaney Center. MSU meets The Citadel on Friday at 9 a.m. (MT), and #2 Nebraska on Saturday at 1 p.m. (MT)
SEASON OPENERS: Montana State dropped its season-opener to Washington 3-1 last Friday night. The Bobcats are now 25-20 all-time in its first match of the fall campaign.
SEASON OPENERS: The Bobcats split its two matches at the MSU Blackridge Invite last weekend in Shroyer Gym. MSU dropped a 25-20, 25-27, 25-20, 25-20 decision to Washington. The Huskies, newcomers to the Big Ten, enter the contest receiving votes in the preseason AVCA poll. Montana State rebounded from the loss with a 25-16, 25-19, 24-26, 25-23 victory over Middle Tennessee State on Sunday afternoon. Camryn Greenwald pace the Bobcats with 11 kills, a .500 attack mark and a career-high nine blocks.
WELCOME BACK: Second-year head coach Matt Houk welcomes back nine letterwinners, including five starters and libero Lauren Lindseth, that led the Bobcats to its best season in school history last fall. MSU posted a 24-9 overall record, went 12-4 in Big Sky Conference play, and won three postseason matches before falling to Wichita State in the Fab Four of the National Invitational Volleyball Championship.
BACK TO THE FUTURE: Matt Houk made his first season at Montana State a memorable one as MSU finished 24-9 overall and 12-4 in Big Sky play. Both marks are the best in program history. MSU finished second in the league standings, its highest showing ever. The Cats entered the Big Sky Tournament as the #3 seed and dispatched Montana in straight sets. The Cats downed Eastern Washington 3-1 in semifinal action to set up MSU's first ever appearance in a Big Sky title match. The Bobcats came up short in its search for the program's first ever NCAA bid falling to Weber State in five. MSU played in its first postseason national tournament and advanced to the Fab Four of the NIVC with victories over Pacific, Sacramento State, and Wyoming. MSU lost to eventual champion Wichita State in the semis.
SCOUTING REPORT: Denver started its season 1-2 at the Wildcat Invitational in Ogden, Utah last weekend. The Pioneers dropped a pair of decisions to Utah Tech, 3-2, on Friday, and 3-0 on Saturday. Its lone win came over the Wildcats (3-2) on Friday night. Denver was picked second in the Summit League Preseason Poll, with fifth-year middle blocker Molly Mirabelli and outside hitter Cassie Davis tabbed as 'Player to Watch.' Last weekend, Davis and Mirabelli averaged 2.46 and 2.23 kills, respectively, with Mirabelli putting up a solid .361 attack mark. Defensively, the Pioneers were led by Mirabelli, who averaged 1.15 blocks per set, while Alayna Finucan chipped in 4.08 digs per contest. The Citadel opened its 2024 season at the Crimson Tide Invitational in Tuscaloosa, Ala., with a 2-1 record. The Bulldogs defeated UT Martin (3-2) and Grambling State (3-0) and suffered a 3-1 setback to Alabama. Pacing The Citadel in the tournament were Mackenzie Martin and Ali Ruffin, who averaged 4.00 and 3.17 kills per set, respectively. Defensively, Jaelynn Elgert guided the Bulldogs registering 4.92 digs per set. Nebraska ranked #2 in this week's AVCA Top 25, is 3-1 on the season. The Huskers knocked off #9 Kentucky last Tuesday in the AVCA First Serve Showcase, before dispatching Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (3-0) and TCU (3-1) at home on Friday and Saturday in the Ameritas Players Challenge. Nebraska suffered its first loss of the 2024 campaign at SMU on Tuesday night. The Mustangs shocked the Huskers in a 25-23, 25-21, 25-18 upset in Dallas. Five Nebraska players are averaging 2.00 kills per set or more in the early season, led by Harper Murray, a 6-2 sophomore outside hitter, a 3.00 kps. Murray was an AVCA All-America Third Team pick and the Big Ten Freshman of the Year, last season.
THE MENACE FROM ENNIS: Jourdain Kamps enjoyed a stellar 2023 campaign which culminated being named First-Team All-Big Sky Conference. The 6-1 opposite side hitter averaged 2.25 kills per set with a .245 attack mark, in eight sets last weekend. In addition, she chipped in 1.25 blocks per contest. Kamps had her best match against Middle Tennessee with 11 kills, a .259 attack mark, eight digs and eight blocks. Last season, Kamps averaged 2.57 kills per set, while hitting .263 from the floor. In addition, she averaged 1.90 digs and .91 blocks per contest and chipped in 24 aces. The product of Ennis, Mont., was in double-figure kills in 20 of 33 matches, including a season-best 18 kills on two occasions, the last coming at Weber State on Nov. 11, 2023. Kamps, who has been part of the Bobcat program since redshirting in 2019, moved into sixth on MSU's all-time block assists chart with 349, while her 369 total career blocks rank sixth all-time, as well. Kamps was a Second Team All-Big Sky pick in the spring of 2021 after averaging 1.49 kills and .97 blocks per set in the shortened 15-match season. In 2022, Kamps had a career-high 23 kills at E. Washington.
GOTTA DIG IT: Lauren Lindseth opened the 2024 campaign totaling 21 digs in eight sets. For the weekend, she averaged .263 dpg. Lindseth also got the job done at the service line averaging .75 aces per set, which ranks first in Big Sky Conference action. Last fall, Lindseth ranked seventh in Big Sky play averaging 3.77 saves per game. On Aug. 31, 2023, she recorded a career-high 34 digs against St. Thomas (MN). For the season, Lindseth recorded 28 matches in double-digit digs. As a sophomore, she was in double-digit digs in 22 matches, including a streak of 13 consecutive matches. Lindseth's 494 digs last fall were the fifth best single-season mark in MSU history, while her freshman total of 475 digs ranks sixth in a single season. Lindseth has earned All-Big Sky Tournament honors the last two seasons, and she is a four-time Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year honoree.
LINDSETH LEGACY: Libero Lauren Lindseth is part of Bobcat history as one-half of the first mother/daughter duo to play volleyball at MSU. Lindseth's mother - Kelly Modrow (MOD-row) - played at MSU from 1992-1996. The native of Minnetonka, Minn., (Hopkins HS) played in 110 matches and 359 sets. In all, Modrow's recorded 889 kills, 733 digs, 128 blocks and 87 aces wearing the No. 2 jersey, as well.
A LENDING HAND: Senior Nellie Stevenson ran the Bobcat offense last weekend at the MSU/Blackridge Invite. The 5-11 senior from San Leandro, Calif., dished out 8.25 assists per set. Stevenson had 38 assists in MSU's win over Middle Tennessee. Stevenson, who came to MSU via Feather River Junior College, dished out a team high 1,049 assists, averaging 8.53 per set, last fall. That mark ranked fifth in Big Sky Conference action.
CAMMER TIME: Montana State junior middle blocker Camryn Greenwald had a strong opening week for the Bobcats. The product of Woodbury, Minn., was MSU's offensive and defensive nominee for Big Sky Player of the Week after averaging 2.75 kills and 1.63 blocks per set in two matches. Greenwald hit .444 from the field and had a career-high nine blocks against Middle Tennessee. Last fall, she averaged 1.62 kills and .96 blocks per set, while hitting a team-high .268 from the floor. Greenwald recorded five matches in double-figure kills, including a career-high 13 against Idaho on Oct. 14.
JO KNOWS: Bozeman product and senior middle blocker Jordan Radick opened the 2024 season averaging 1.63 kills and .88 blocks per set with a .357 attack mark in eight sets. She had her best outing against Washington posting seven kills with a .400 attack mark and two blocks. Last fall, Radick closed out the Big Sky Tournament and NIVC postseason averaging 1.43 kills and .93 blocks per set, while hitting an impressive .477 from the field.
JUST A BLUR: Madilyn Siebler started her junior season averaging 2.13 kills and a team-best 3.38 digs per set. The Omaha product had 16 saves against Washington and notched her first double-double with 11 kills and 11 digs in MSU's win over Middle Tennessee. Last fall, she played in 33 matches and averaged 2.25 kills and 1.50 digs per set. Siebler registered a career-high 16 kills in MSU's win over Northern Arizona in Bozeman.
THE RUNZA REPORT: Junior Madilyn Siebler and redshirt freshman Karli Heidemann make their return to the home-land this weekend. Siebler, who prepped at Westside High School in Omaha, and Heidemann, who graduated from Diller-Odell High School, both found themselves in Montana State's starting rotation last weekend at the Blackridge Invitational. On the weekend, Siebler recorded 17 kills and 27 digs, while Heidemann added 17 kills, including nine against Washington. As a senior, Siebler led Westside to third place at the Nebraska Class A state tournament. Heidemann set the all-time Nebraska D2 record with 2,112 career kills.
HARD BLOCK CAFE`: The Bobcats averaged 2.63 blocks per set last weekend- good for third in the Big Sky listings. Camryn Greenwald and Jourdain Kamps r fourth and tenth, respectively, averaging 1.63 and 1.25 bps. Last season, MSU finished fifth in the Big Sky averaging 2.24 blocks per set. Individually, Jordan Radick averaged 1.09 blocks per game, which was fifth best in the BSC. In conference matches, MSU had three players ranked among the top 10. Radick was fourth averaging 1.18 bps, while Greenwald was eighth, 1.05 bps, and Kamps, tenth, 1.03 bps.
LOOK FAMILIAR: Montana State freshman Afton Thomsen may look familiar. She is the sister of former Bobcat standout Kira Thomsen. Both prepped at Chaparral High School in Parker, Colorado. Afton Thomsen was a four-year letterwinner at CHS and helped her squad to a third-place 5A state finish, last fall. Kira Thomsen, who finished her tenure in the Blue & Gold last December, is MSU's all-time career leader in kills (1,688) and attacks (4,827). Kira is currently playing professionally in Germany.
SEASON OPENERS: Montana State dropped its season-opener to Washington 3-1 last Friday night. The Bobcats are now 25-20 all-time in its first match of the fall campaign.
SEASON OPENERS: The Bobcats split its two matches at the MSU Blackridge Invite last weekend in Shroyer Gym. MSU dropped a 25-20, 25-27, 25-20, 25-20 decision to Washington. The Huskies, newcomers to the Big Ten, enter the contest receiving votes in the preseason AVCA poll. Montana State rebounded from the loss with a 25-16, 25-19, 24-26, 25-23 victory over Middle Tennessee State on Sunday afternoon. Camryn Greenwald pace the Bobcats with 11 kills, a .500 attack mark and a career-high nine blocks.
WELCOME BACK: Second-year head coach Matt Houk welcomes back nine letterwinners, including five starters and libero Lauren Lindseth, that led the Bobcats to its best season in school history last fall. MSU posted a 24-9 overall record, went 12-4 in Big Sky Conference play, and won three postseason matches before falling to Wichita State in the Fab Four of the National Invitational Volleyball Championship.
BACK TO THE FUTURE: Matt Houk made his first season at Montana State a memorable one as MSU finished 24-9 overall and 12-4 in Big Sky play. Both marks are the best in program history. MSU finished second in the league standings, its highest showing ever. The Cats entered the Big Sky Tournament as the #3 seed and dispatched Montana in straight sets. The Cats downed Eastern Washington 3-1 in semifinal action to set up MSU's first ever appearance in a Big Sky title match. The Bobcats came up short in its search for the program's first ever NCAA bid falling to Weber State in five. MSU played in its first postseason national tournament and advanced to the Fab Four of the NIVC with victories over Pacific, Sacramento State, and Wyoming. MSU lost to eventual champion Wichita State in the semis.
SCOUTING REPORT: Denver started its season 1-2 at the Wildcat Invitational in Ogden, Utah last weekend. The Pioneers dropped a pair of decisions to Utah Tech, 3-2, on Friday, and 3-0 on Saturday. Its lone win came over the Wildcats (3-2) on Friday night. Denver was picked second in the Summit League Preseason Poll, with fifth-year middle blocker Molly Mirabelli and outside hitter Cassie Davis tabbed as 'Player to Watch.' Last weekend, Davis and Mirabelli averaged 2.46 and 2.23 kills, respectively, with Mirabelli putting up a solid .361 attack mark. Defensively, the Pioneers were led by Mirabelli, who averaged 1.15 blocks per set, while Alayna Finucan chipped in 4.08 digs per contest. The Citadel opened its 2024 season at the Crimson Tide Invitational in Tuscaloosa, Ala., with a 2-1 record. The Bulldogs defeated UT Martin (3-2) and Grambling State (3-0) and suffered a 3-1 setback to Alabama. Pacing The Citadel in the tournament were Mackenzie Martin and Ali Ruffin, who averaged 4.00 and 3.17 kills per set, respectively. Defensively, Jaelynn Elgert guided the Bulldogs registering 4.92 digs per set. Nebraska ranked #2 in this week's AVCA Top 25, is 3-1 on the season. The Huskers knocked off #9 Kentucky last Tuesday in the AVCA First Serve Showcase, before dispatching Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (3-0) and TCU (3-1) at home on Friday and Saturday in the Ameritas Players Challenge. Nebraska suffered its first loss of the 2024 campaign at SMU on Tuesday night. The Mustangs shocked the Huskers in a 25-23, 25-21, 25-18 upset in Dallas. Five Nebraska players are averaging 2.00 kills per set or more in the early season, led by Harper Murray, a 6-2 sophomore outside hitter, a 3.00 kps. Murray was an AVCA All-America Third Team pick and the Big Ten Freshman of the Year, last season.
THE MENACE FROM ENNIS: Jourdain Kamps enjoyed a stellar 2023 campaign which culminated being named First-Team All-Big Sky Conference. The 6-1 opposite side hitter averaged 2.25 kills per set with a .245 attack mark, in eight sets last weekend. In addition, she chipped in 1.25 blocks per contest. Kamps had her best match against Middle Tennessee with 11 kills, a .259 attack mark, eight digs and eight blocks. Last season, Kamps averaged 2.57 kills per set, while hitting .263 from the floor. In addition, she averaged 1.90 digs and .91 blocks per contest and chipped in 24 aces. The product of Ennis, Mont., was in double-figure kills in 20 of 33 matches, including a season-best 18 kills on two occasions, the last coming at Weber State on Nov. 11, 2023. Kamps, who has been part of the Bobcat program since redshirting in 2019, moved into sixth on MSU's all-time block assists chart with 349, while her 369 total career blocks rank sixth all-time, as well. Kamps was a Second Team All-Big Sky pick in the spring of 2021 after averaging 1.49 kills and .97 blocks per set in the shortened 15-match season. In 2022, Kamps had a career-high 23 kills at E. Washington.
GOTTA DIG IT: Lauren Lindseth opened the 2024 campaign totaling 21 digs in eight sets. For the weekend, she averaged .263 dpg. Lindseth also got the job done at the service line averaging .75 aces per set, which ranks first in Big Sky Conference action. Last fall, Lindseth ranked seventh in Big Sky play averaging 3.77 saves per game. On Aug. 31, 2023, she recorded a career-high 34 digs against St. Thomas (MN). For the season, Lindseth recorded 28 matches in double-digit digs. As a sophomore, she was in double-digit digs in 22 matches, including a streak of 13 consecutive matches. Lindseth's 494 digs last fall were the fifth best single-season mark in MSU history, while her freshman total of 475 digs ranks sixth in a single season. Lindseth has earned All-Big Sky Tournament honors the last two seasons, and she is a four-time Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year honoree.
LINDSETH LEGACY: Libero Lauren Lindseth is part of Bobcat history as one-half of the first mother/daughter duo to play volleyball at MSU. Lindseth's mother - Kelly Modrow (MOD-row) - played at MSU from 1992-1996. The native of Minnetonka, Minn., (Hopkins HS) played in 110 matches and 359 sets. In all, Modrow's recorded 889 kills, 733 digs, 128 blocks and 87 aces wearing the No. 2 jersey, as well.
A LENDING HAND: Senior Nellie Stevenson ran the Bobcat offense last weekend at the MSU/Blackridge Invite. The 5-11 senior from San Leandro, Calif., dished out 8.25 assists per set. Stevenson had 38 assists in MSU's win over Middle Tennessee. Stevenson, who came to MSU via Feather River Junior College, dished out a team high 1,049 assists, averaging 8.53 per set, last fall. That mark ranked fifth in Big Sky Conference action.
CAMMER TIME: Montana State junior middle blocker Camryn Greenwald had a strong opening week for the Bobcats. The product of Woodbury, Minn., was MSU's offensive and defensive nominee for Big Sky Player of the Week after averaging 2.75 kills and 1.63 blocks per set in two matches. Greenwald hit .444 from the field and had a career-high nine blocks against Middle Tennessee. Last fall, she averaged 1.62 kills and .96 blocks per set, while hitting a team-high .268 from the floor. Greenwald recorded five matches in double-figure kills, including a career-high 13 against Idaho on Oct. 14.
JO KNOWS: Bozeman product and senior middle blocker Jordan Radick opened the 2024 season averaging 1.63 kills and .88 blocks per set with a .357 attack mark in eight sets. She had her best outing against Washington posting seven kills with a .400 attack mark and two blocks. Last fall, Radick closed out the Big Sky Tournament and NIVC postseason averaging 1.43 kills and .93 blocks per set, while hitting an impressive .477 from the field.
JUST A BLUR: Madilyn Siebler started her junior season averaging 2.13 kills and a team-best 3.38 digs per set. The Omaha product had 16 saves against Washington and notched her first double-double with 11 kills and 11 digs in MSU's win over Middle Tennessee. Last fall, she played in 33 matches and averaged 2.25 kills and 1.50 digs per set. Siebler registered a career-high 16 kills in MSU's win over Northern Arizona in Bozeman.
THE RUNZA REPORT: Junior Madilyn Siebler and redshirt freshman Karli Heidemann make their return to the home-land this weekend. Siebler, who prepped at Westside High School in Omaha, and Heidemann, who graduated from Diller-Odell High School, both found themselves in Montana State's starting rotation last weekend at the Blackridge Invitational. On the weekend, Siebler recorded 17 kills and 27 digs, while Heidemann added 17 kills, including nine against Washington. As a senior, Siebler led Westside to third place at the Nebraska Class A state tournament. Heidemann set the all-time Nebraska D2 record with 2,112 career kills.
HARD BLOCK CAFE`: The Bobcats averaged 2.63 blocks per set last weekend- good for third in the Big Sky listings. Camryn Greenwald and Jourdain Kamps r fourth and tenth, respectively, averaging 1.63 and 1.25 bps. Last season, MSU finished fifth in the Big Sky averaging 2.24 blocks per set. Individually, Jordan Radick averaged 1.09 blocks per game, which was fifth best in the BSC. In conference matches, MSU had three players ranked among the top 10. Radick was fourth averaging 1.18 bps, while Greenwald was eighth, 1.05 bps, and Kamps, tenth, 1.03 bps.
LOOK FAMILIAR: Montana State freshman Afton Thomsen may look familiar. She is the sister of former Bobcat standout Kira Thomsen. Both prepped at Chaparral High School in Parker, Colorado. Afton Thomsen was a four-year letterwinner at CHS and helped her squad to a third-place 5A state finish, last fall. Kira Thomsen, who finished her tenure in the Blue & Gold last December, is MSU's all-time career leader in kills (1,688) and attacks (4,827). Kira is currently playing professionally in Germany.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Volleyball
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/ Women's Volleyball
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/ Women's Volleyball
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/ Women's Volleyball
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