Thursday, October 8
Flagstaff, AZ
6:00 pm MT
Montana State University
at
Northern Arizona
Photo by: Bobcat Creative Services
Bobcats Continue Conference Play at NAU, PSU
10/7/2026 8:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
BOZEMAN, Mont. - After a pair of Big Sky wins in Bozeman, Montana State Volleyball hits the road, continuing conference play at Northern Arizona on Thursday and Portland State on Saturday.Â
The Bobcats (10-5, 3-1) and Lumberjacks (9-7, 2-2) will meet for the 77th time in program history, with the teams splitting results last season, each with a win at home. The Cats will mark their 80th contest with the Vikings (5-10, 1-3), who have won four of the last five matchups.Â
First serve in Flagstaff will be at 7 p.m. MT, with live stats available via StatBroadcast. Saturday's matchup will begin at 8 p.m. MT and live stats will be available here. Both matches will be streamed on ESPN+.Â
SPELTS STANDING OUTÂ Â Â
Senior Joelie Spelts has been Montana State's most consistent star this season. Spelts leads MSU with 162 kills and averages 2.61 per set while hitting .379. In the Bobcats' win over Idaho, Spelts established a new school record, hitting .846 with 11 kills on 13 attempts. The previous single-match hitting record was held by Cori Carper, who hit .824 against VCU in 1996, and requires a minimum of 12 attack attempts.Â
TEE IT UPÂ Â Â
Outside hitter and former MSU golfer, Lauren Greeny is high on the stat sheet in several categories after making her return to collegiate volleyball this season. She has totaled 111 kills, 21 assists, 13 aces, 154 digs, and 33 blocks so far this season.Â
NOBLE EFFORTSÂ Â Â
After a standout season-opening performance in Easton, sophomore libero Nicolette Noble was named Big Sky Defensive Player of the Week for the first time in her career. Starting all three matches in the first week of the season, Noble made a career-high 24 digs against Marist. Noble then bested her career mark at the Mercer Invitational, logging 28 digs in the preseason finale with Georgia State, en route to her second Big Sky weekly recognition. She continues to lead the Bobcats, with 247 digs and 15 starts at libero.Â
TAKING THE MAIN LINE BACK TO BOZEMANÂ Â Â
In the 2026 Big Sky opener, the Bobcats downed the Montana Grizzlies in a four-set win. A trio of double-digit hitters paced the offense for the Bobcats, as Karli Heidemann led the team with 13 kills and added 11 digs. Senior Joelie Spelts was just behind with 12, hitting .409 on the night, in addition to eight blocks. As a team, the Bobcats led in nearly every category with 49 kills, 78 digs and 14 blocks to the Grizzlies' 44 kills, 73 digs and five blocks. Â
1K CLUBÂ Â Â
Sophomore Teagan Jaynes reached the 1,000 career assists mark with her third set at St. Thomas. After handling starting setter duties for the Bobcats last year, Jaynes has recorded 508 assists, averaging 8.61 per set this season.Â
QUADRUPLE THREATÂ Â Â
Three Bobcats have surpassed triple digits on offense this season. Joelie Spelts leads the team  with 162 kills, while Karli Heidemann sits at 150 and Elli Tufto is just behind with 121. Lauren Greeny is latest to the club, now with 111.
FIVE SET FIGHTINGÂ Â Â
Since the season opener against Delaware, six of Montana State's 15 games this season have finished after five sets, with five resulting in wins for the Bobcats. The Cats are 6-1 when winning the first set, and 4-1 when winning the first two.Â
PRESEASON PROGRESSÂ Â Â
After concluding the non-conference season with a pair of wins at the Mercer Invitational, the Bobcats finished preseason play with a 7-4 record. Seven wins equal the most wins under Matt Houk since his inaugural season in 2023, when the Cats went 7-3 before Big Sky action began.Â
UNDER THE BIG SKYÂ Â Â
Several Bobcats have found their way into the top of the Big Sky standings so far. Joelie Spelts holds the fifth-best hitting percentage at .379. Teagan Jaynes ranks second with 508 assists and an 8.61 per set average. Jaynes is also tied for third, with 23 service aces this year. Nicolette Noble ranks third with her 247 total digs and sixth with a 3.98 per set average. As a team, the Bobcats are first in the league, only allowing 98 total blocks by opponents this season and have the third-best hitting percentage (.225).
BESTED THE BISONÂ Â Â
In the first game of the Bobcat Invitational, Montana State downed North Dakota State 3-2 in a five-set fight. MSU and NDSU posted even stat lines throughout the match, with momentum alternating between the sets. MSU fell behind early in the decider as NDSU crept ahead to a 6-1 lead, but the Cats showed no quit and battled back to a tie at ten before a 5-0 run to secure the victory.Â
STARTED WITH A SWEEPÂ Â Â
Montana State opened the season with a weekend sweep at the Maroon and White Classic. With three wins in two days, the Bobcats are off to their best start since Houk's inaugural season in 2023. The MSU trio of Elli Esko, Nicolette Noble and Joelie Spelts earned all-tournament honors in Easton. Esko made her collegiate debut, powering the offense with 33 kills and a .329 pct. Noble, also named tournament MVP, was a key component in the defense and passing game, while Spelts racked up 29 kills and 11 blocks.Â
KEEP AN EYE OUTÂ Â Â
Sophomore setter Teagan Jaynes and senior blocker Joelie Spelts were named to the All-Big Sky Conference Preseason Volleyball team. The pair of Bobcats join nine athletes who are expected to play a significant role in Big Sky action this season.Â
Follow the Bobcats
For the latest news, updates, and behind-the-scenes coverage of the Montana State women's volleyball team, follow the Bobcats @MSUBobcatsVB on X, Instagram, and Facebook. Information on the Montana State athletic program can be found online at msubobcats.com or by following @MSUBobcats on X, @MontanaStateBobcats on Instagram, and @Montana State Bobcats on Facebook.
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The Bobcats (10-5, 3-1) and Lumberjacks (9-7, 2-2) will meet for the 77th time in program history, with the teams splitting results last season, each with a win at home. The Cats will mark their 80th contest with the Vikings (5-10, 1-3), who have won four of the last five matchups.Â
First serve in Flagstaff will be at 7 p.m. MT, with live stats available via StatBroadcast. Saturday's matchup will begin at 8 p.m. MT and live stats will be available here. Both matches will be streamed on ESPN+.Â
SPELTS STANDING OUTÂ Â Â
Senior Joelie Spelts has been Montana State's most consistent star this season. Spelts leads MSU with 162 kills and averages 2.61 per set while hitting .379. In the Bobcats' win over Idaho, Spelts established a new school record, hitting .846 with 11 kills on 13 attempts. The previous single-match hitting record was held by Cori Carper, who hit .824 against VCU in 1996, and requires a minimum of 12 attack attempts.Â
TEE IT UPÂ Â Â
Outside hitter and former MSU golfer, Lauren Greeny is high on the stat sheet in several categories after making her return to collegiate volleyball this season. She has totaled 111 kills, 21 assists, 13 aces, 154 digs, and 33 blocks so far this season.Â
NOBLE EFFORTSÂ Â Â
After a standout season-opening performance in Easton, sophomore libero Nicolette Noble was named Big Sky Defensive Player of the Week for the first time in her career. Starting all three matches in the first week of the season, Noble made a career-high 24 digs against Marist. Noble then bested her career mark at the Mercer Invitational, logging 28 digs in the preseason finale with Georgia State, en route to her second Big Sky weekly recognition. She continues to lead the Bobcats, with 247 digs and 15 starts at libero.Â
TAKING THE MAIN LINE BACK TO BOZEMANÂ Â Â
In the 2026 Big Sky opener, the Bobcats downed the Montana Grizzlies in a four-set win. A trio of double-digit hitters paced the offense for the Bobcats, as Karli Heidemann led the team with 13 kills and added 11 digs. Senior Joelie Spelts was just behind with 12, hitting .409 on the night, in addition to eight blocks. As a team, the Bobcats led in nearly every category with 49 kills, 78 digs and 14 blocks to the Grizzlies' 44 kills, 73 digs and five blocks. Â
1K CLUBÂ Â Â
Sophomore Teagan Jaynes reached the 1,000 career assists mark with her third set at St. Thomas. After handling starting setter duties for the Bobcats last year, Jaynes has recorded 508 assists, averaging 8.61 per set this season.Â
QUADRUPLE THREATÂ Â Â
Three Bobcats have surpassed triple digits on offense this season. Joelie Spelts leads the team  with 162 kills, while Karli Heidemann sits at 150 and Elli Tufto is just behind with 121. Lauren Greeny is latest to the club, now with 111.
FIVE SET FIGHTINGÂ Â Â
Since the season opener against Delaware, six of Montana State's 15 games this season have finished after five sets, with five resulting in wins for the Bobcats. The Cats are 6-1 when winning the first set, and 4-1 when winning the first two.Â
PRESEASON PROGRESSÂ Â Â
After concluding the non-conference season with a pair of wins at the Mercer Invitational, the Bobcats finished preseason play with a 7-4 record. Seven wins equal the most wins under Matt Houk since his inaugural season in 2023, when the Cats went 7-3 before Big Sky action began.Â
UNDER THE BIG SKYÂ Â Â
Several Bobcats have found their way into the top of the Big Sky standings so far. Joelie Spelts holds the fifth-best hitting percentage at .379. Teagan Jaynes ranks second with 508 assists and an 8.61 per set average. Jaynes is also tied for third, with 23 service aces this year. Nicolette Noble ranks third with her 247 total digs and sixth with a 3.98 per set average. As a team, the Bobcats are first in the league, only allowing 98 total blocks by opponents this season and have the third-best hitting percentage (.225).
BESTED THE BISONÂ Â Â
In the first game of the Bobcat Invitational, Montana State downed North Dakota State 3-2 in a five-set fight. MSU and NDSU posted even stat lines throughout the match, with momentum alternating between the sets. MSU fell behind early in the decider as NDSU crept ahead to a 6-1 lead, but the Cats showed no quit and battled back to a tie at ten before a 5-0 run to secure the victory.Â
STARTED WITH A SWEEPÂ Â Â
Montana State opened the season with a weekend sweep at the Maroon and White Classic. With three wins in two days, the Bobcats are off to their best start since Houk's inaugural season in 2023. The MSU trio of Elli Esko, Nicolette Noble and Joelie Spelts earned all-tournament honors in Easton. Esko made her collegiate debut, powering the offense with 33 kills and a .329 pct. Noble, also named tournament MVP, was a key component in the defense and passing game, while Spelts racked up 29 kills and 11 blocks.Â
KEEP AN EYE OUTÂ Â Â
Sophomore setter Teagan Jaynes and senior blocker Joelie Spelts were named to the All-Big Sky Conference Preseason Volleyball team. The pair of Bobcats join nine athletes who are expected to play a significant role in Big Sky action this season.Â
Follow the Bobcats
For the latest news, updates, and behind-the-scenes coverage of the Montana State women's volleyball team, follow the Bobcats @MSUBobcatsVB on X, Instagram, and Facebook. Information on the Montana State athletic program can be found online at msubobcats.com or by following @MSUBobcats on X, @MontanaStateBobcats on Instagram, and @Montana State Bobcats on Facebook.
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Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Volleyball
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/ Women's Volleyball
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/ Women's Volleyball
L/DS
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
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