Bengals Open Big Sky Play

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POCATELLO, Idaho - Idaho State enters Big Sky Conference play on a three-match winning streak after rolling to the La Quinta Inn & Suites Invitational tournament title. The Bengals dropped just one set over the three matches.

Libero Kylee Sessions was named tournament MVP while Whitney Bartschi-Harrington and Hayley Farrer made the all-tournament team.

Tressa Lyman leads the Bengals with 155 kills including a season-high 24 in the match against UC Riverside.   She is third in the Big Sky with 3.44 kills per set.

Setter Hayley Farrer is coming off a career-high 48 assists. She is fourth in the conference in assists per set with 10.26.

Kylee Sessions is ninth in the Big Sky in digs per set with 3.50.

SCOUTING MONTANA STATE
This will be the 70th meeting between the Bengals and the Bobcats. ISU leads the overall series 36-33, winning the last three matches, including both last season.

The Bobcats enter the game on a three-match losing streak and have dropped seven of their past eight ,five of those in straight sets.

They are coached by Kyle Weindel who is in his third season with MSU.  The Bobcats finished 9th in the Big Sky last season.

Loni Kreun leads the attack with 109 kills (.182 attack percentage). Katie Harrington is tops in assists with 384 while Jolie Meade has picked up the most blocks with 33.


SCOUTING WEBER STATE
This will be the 82nd meeting between the Bengals and the Wildcats.  ISU leads the overall series 41-40, winning the last four matches and eight of the last nine. Idaho State has not lost to Weber State in Pocatello since September 21, 2007.  They are 23-12 overall against WSU at home. In the last five home match ups ISU has dropped just one of the 16 sets.

They are coached by Tom Peterson who enters his fourth season with WSU. The Wildcats finished tied for the worst conference record in 2013.

Audrey Biggs leads the conference in kills per set with 4.32 and 190 overall.


BENGAL BITES
-The Bengals have yet to play a five-set match this season. Just one match in the past 21 has gone the distance. (Nov. 23, 2013 vs Portland State)

- After dropping their only set of the UVU tournament against UC Riverside, the Bengals responded with their most dominant win of the year, 25-10 in the next set.

- ISU is 10-3 in the first set of matches this season.

- In the six wins this season, the Bengals are holding their opponents to a .140 attack percentage

- Kylee Session has double figure digs in every match this year but four including a season-high 20 against UC Riverside.  She had double figure digs in all but 11 matches last year. Her career high is 26 in 2013 vs. North Dakota in the Big Sky Tournament.

- Alydia Fields-Grimm had a season high 17 digs against BYU.

- Tressa Lyman has had double figure kills in every match but two. She had a season-high 24 kills against UC Riverside. She has four double-doubles this year.  Entering Thursday she had 975 career kills. She will be the 11th Bengal since 1984 to reach 1,000 career kills

- Makenzie Filer posted her best match of 2014 against Portland with a season high13 kills (.444 attack percentage) and seven blocks.

- Hayley Farrer is coming off a career high in assists against UC Riverside with 48. She has recorded over 40 assists five times this season.