Nov. 22, 2009
Final Stats
Montana Box Score 
Pocatello, ID--Idaho State quickly overcame Montana in the first two sets, but the Griz rallied back for a five set win (25-16, 25-14, 22-25, 24-26, 19-21) in the Bengals' final match of the season at Reed Gym Saturday on Senior's Night. The fifth set was a close battle with 15 tied scores and five lead changes. The Bengals pushed to their limits as they saved three of Montana's four match points. Idaho State also had two match points that it could not capitalize on.
"Our girls played hard and I thought they played with a lot of character," said Head Coach Chad Teichert. "If we would have maintained the level of play in game three as we did in games one and two, especially in serve and serve receive we would have had a better outcome. I am proud of our girls I thought they played with class."
Idaho State's seniors Emily Waldron, Kolay Mickelsen-Sutton and Paige Palmer all had solid performances in their final games of the season. Waldron posted one of ISU's two double-double performances. The outside hitter recorded 14 kills and 17 digs for her 13th double-double of the season and her 36th of her career. Setter Karissa Legaux was Idaho State's only other double-double when she posted 53 assists and 13 digs, her second of the season.
Senior Mickelsen-Sutton posted a season-high four kills and served up a match and career-high three aces. The middle blocker also posted five digs and two block assists helping Idaho State post seven team blocks for the match. Montana out-blocked the Bengals 11-to-7, recording three in the third set alone.
Libero Palmer recorded her 23rd consecutive double-figure dig match for the longest streak in the Big Sky this season when she notched 24 digs against Montana. Here performance is her ninth 20-plus dig performance this season. She also posted two service aces.
"We'll miss them but hopefully all the other kids with continue to grow in the game of volleyball and continue to improve next year," said Teichert of Idaho State's seniors laying a foundation for the younger Bengals.
Juniors Britta Bartschi-Rhodehouse, Sarah Carson and Haylee Thompson seem primed to step into the footsteps of ISU's seniors. Middle blocker Bartschi-Rhodehosue led the Bengals with a career-high 18 kills. She recorded a match-high .459 attack percentage with 37 attempts and only one error. Carson, also a middle blocker, posted 13 kills and recorded a match-high seven block assists. Thompson also recorded double-figures in kills with 17 to match her career-high.
As a team the Bengals hit a .233 attack percentage while holding Montana to a .170 percentage. The Bengals served tough recording eight service aces, but the difficult placement also led to errors as Idaho State recorded ten.
"They have played pretty well down the stretch," said Teichert of ISU's solid play and four game win streak that ended in ISU's last stand at home. "I thought they had been competing at a higher level more recently than what they had at other times in the season."
Idaho State finished the year 13-15 overall and finished the season ranked fifth place in the Big Sky standing with a 7-9 record. Under Head Coach Teichert the Bengals have continued to climb and improve. Last season, Teichert's first he turned ISU from a 6-23 team to a 10-20 overall record. ISU finished the Big Sky season 5-11 in 2008 for an eighth place finish in the standings.
