Idaho State vs. Weber State
Date: Friday, Sept. 23
Time: 7 p.m. MT
Live Stats | Big Sky TV
Idaho State vs. Utah Valley
Date: Saturday, Sept. 24
Time: 2 p.m. MT
Live Stats | Big Sky TV
Match Notes: vs. Weber State and Utah Valley
BENGAL OVERVIEW
Idaho State (6-6, 1-1 BSC) hosts its first pair of home matches beginning with the home opener against Weber State (0-12, 0-2 BSC) Friday, Sept. 23 at 7 p.m. at Reed Gym. The annual White Out Weber game gives fans the opportunity to buy $2 tickets when they wear a white T-shirt. The Bengals then host Utah Valley (9-5) on Saturday, Sept. 24 at 2 p.m. at Reed Gym.
FOLLOW THE ACTION
Bengal fans can follow the action through free live stats, live audio and live video at www.isubengals.com. KISU 91.1 FM broadcasts all of ISU's home games and provides a live audio webstream with Assistant Athletic Director for Academic Services
Matt Steuart providing play-by-play and color commentary from Fox Sports Kade Vance. All of ISU's home games and Big Sky Conference matches can be seen for free through Big Sky TV.
LAST WEEK IN BENGAL VOLLEYBALL
Idaho State split on the road with a four set victory over Portland State and a five set loss to Eastern Washington on ISU's Big Sky opening weekend. It is the first road victory over the Vikings since 2003 and marked the third straight year the Bengals have won their conference openers. Idaho State's five set loss to Eastern Washington was the first five set loss of the season dropping the Bengals to 2-1. ISU's loss to the Eagles also ended a four-match win streak for the Bengals. Lori Mendenhall and
Danielle Downs had double-doubles in both contests.
ABOUT THE BENGALS
The Bengals opened Big Sky play with a split on the road to hold a 6-6 record for the season. ISU has won four of its last five matches. The Bengals average a .162 hitting percentage for the season and a .140 attack percentage in Big Sky play. In conference play, ISU is averaging 15.56 digs per set, 2.22 blocks per set and 9.56 kills per set. ISU is led by junior
Breanne Van Every with 3.0 kills per set for the season followed closely by
Danielle Downs with 2.84 kills per set. Lori Mendenhall, a setter, averages 9.24 assists per game for the season while libero Kylee Searle averages 3.91 digs per set. Senior middle blocker
Vanessa Muir leads ISU's blocking effort with a total of 38 blocks this season for a 0.84 per set average. The Bengals are 2-1 in four set and five set matches.
BENGALS IN THE BIG SKY
• Lori Mendenhall holds the third best assist average in the Big Sky for all matches with a 9.24 average.
•
Breanne Van Every (6th, 3.00 kps) and
Danielle Downs (8th, 2.84 kps) are both in the top-ten for kills per set in the Big Sky for all matches.
• Kylee Searle has the fifth best dig average with 3.91 per set in the Big Sky for all matches.
• Downs and Mendenhall each have five double-doubles to tie the third best total in the Big Sky this season.
•
Vanessa Muir is tied for the second best blocks per set in conference play at 1.33 bps.
• Three Bengals are in the top-ten for digs per set in conference play: Searle (4th, 4.44 dps), Mendenhall (7th, 2.89 dps) and
Breanne Van Every (10th, 2.56 dps)
• Mendenhall holds the fifth best assist average in Big Sky matches with 7.83 per set.
• Idaho State is fifth in the league for attack percentage (.162) and fifth for service aces (1.09 aps).
• Mendenhall holds the single-game record for assists with 58 at Wyoming which ties her career-high.
ABOUT WEBER STATE
Weber State posted a 2-14 record last season for a ninth place finish during the regular season. The Wildcats acquired a new head coach with Tom Peterson who is still trying to mold his student-athletes. This season, Weber State is 0-12 having dropped their last six matches 3-0. Bethany Wray leads Weber State in kills averaging 3.48 per set. Dama Cox, Caitlin Penrod and Ashley Orr all lead the team with 28 total blocks. Mikelle Kap leads the backrow defensive effort averaging 3.48 digs per set.
SERIES INFO WITH WILDCATS
Weber State leads the series 39-36 but the Bengals have captured four of the last five meetings. Idaho State is on a three-game winning streak over the Wildcats with all three wins earned in three sets. The Bengals are 20-12 at home against Weber State.
ABOUT UTAH VALLEY
Utah Valley is 9-5 for the season ending a two-match losing streak with a three set victory over Sacramento State. The Wolverines post a .194 attack percentage and have three players averaging over two kills per set: Chelsey Heaps (2.50 kps), Lindsay Barker (2.47 kps) and Erica Nish (2.09 kps). Two players also average over one block per set: Nish (1.34 bps) and Sarah Clement (1.18 bps). Utah Valley has played a majority of their matches at home this season, 57.1 percent, where they are 6-2 but on the road UVU is just 1-1 having fallen to Air Force in three sets and defeated Saint Mary's in five.
SERIES INFO WITH WOLVERINES
Utah Valley leads the series 6-3 having won the last two meetings both in 2009. UVU has won six of the last seven meetings. Idaho State put up a valiant effort against the Wolverine in the last meeting falling in five sets at home in 2009. Idaho State is 3-2 with Utah Valley at Reed Gym and 2-1 in five sets.
BENGALS NOTCH CAREER-HIGHS IN BIG SKY OPENING WEEKEND
Freshman outside hitter Alydia Fields earned her first double-figure kill match with 10 against Portland State while junior
Breanne Van Every recorded a career-high 18 kills at Portland State.
Katie Grajewski also fared well against the Vikings with a career-high four service aces. Against Eastern Washington, Grajewski put up a career-high 14 digs while libero Kylee Searle had a career-high 25 digs. Searle and Mendenhall each had career-high services aces with three and two against the Eagles.
Vanessa Muir recorded a career-high eight blocks against Eastern Washington.
SERVICE GAME IMPROVES
Idaho State has stepped up its service game with two straight matches of a season-high eight service aces against Portland State and Eastern Washington. The Bengals previous high was five three time. Redshirt freshman Kylee Searle, a libero, leads the Bengals in service aces with 11. Last season ISU had a season-high nine service aces three times.
NOT IN MY HOUSE
Under the tutelage of Assistant Coach David Hyte, Idaho State has out-blocked five opponents this season including an 11-to-4 difference at Portland State. Senior middle blocker
Vanessa Muir leads ISU's efforts with 38 total blocks averaging 0.84 per set. She recorded a career-high eight blocks against Eastern Washington. Freshman Whitney Bartschi is nicely following into the footsteps of her older sister Britta Bartschi-Rhodehouse who was a senior last year. Freshman Bartschi has recorded 31 blocks for the season averaging 0.72 per set. She notched a season-high seven blocks against Tulane.
GOING STREAKING
The Bengals are finding their rhythm and putting together solid streaks of top-notch performances. Lori Mendenhall is on a five-match double-double streak and a 11 match double-figure assist streak. Kylee Searle is on a six match double-figure dig streak while
Danielle Downs is on a three match double-figure kill and four match double-figure dig streak.
