Oct. 2, 2009
Final Stats
Montana Box Score 
Missoula, MT--The Bengals had a slow start against the Grizzlies dropping the first set, but Idaho State collected themselves to dominate Montana in the remainder of the contest taking down the Lady Griz in four sets (21-25, 25-20, 25-16, 25-16) at the West Auxiliary Gym on Friday night. Idaho State captured its second Big Sky victory to snap the team's three-match losing streak to improve to 2-3 in conference and 6-8 for the season. Montana fell to 5-10 for the season and 1-3 in Big Sky play.
"Overall I thought we played fairly well," said head coach Chad Teichert by cell phone. "It was a good deal to come back and they have to do the best they can every set."
Senior Emily Waldron and sophomore Jaclyn Hone posted double-doubles in the match up. Waldron recorded 12 kills and 15 digs while Hone produced 14 kills and 13 digs. Junior Haylee Thompson led the Bengals with 16 kills for the night with a .242 attack percentage. Four Bengals hit above a .200 attack percentage to help Idaho State outhit the Griz with a .245 percentage for the match.
"We focused on reducing errors in practice, but more than that we hit the ball well and hit hard," said Teichert. "Karissa (Legaux) had some good sets and we were hitting the ball pretty well."
Idaho State hit their best set attack percentage of Big Sky play in the third set when the Bengals posted a .464 percentage with 14 kills and only one error from 28 attacks. Four Bengals did not make a single attack error in the contest, including junior Sarah Carson who posted three kills over 16 attempts.
"They had to hit well and with ball control, but at the same time we need to block better," said Teichert of ISU's attack effort overcoming the blocking power of Montana. The Grizzlies out-blocked Idaho State 10-to-4 with eight team blocks combined for the first and second set.
The Bengals shut down the Montana offense as they dramatically dropped the Griz's attack percentage as the match progressed down to a .075 in the fourth. Montana had two players post double-figures in kills with Whitney Hobbs leading the Griz with 16 while Brittney Brown kept Montana in the game producing 23 digs.
Idaho State's service game was on-point as the team recorded six, a match high for conference play. Waldron and freshman Breanne Van Every led the team with two each. Sophomore setter Karissa Legaux had 44 assists during the contest and was one dig shy of a double-double. Senior redshirt Paige Palmer led the defensive effort in the back row with 17 digs improving her double-figure dig streak to nine.
ISU will finish its Montana swing in Bozeman as the Bengals play Montana State on Saturday, October 3 at the Shroyer Gymnasium. The match begins at 7 p.m.
"Hopefully we start from the beginning, and we can't overlook them," stated Teichert of ISU's upcoming match against the Bobcats. "They have to go out and play their best and they have to stay positive."
