Bengal Volleyball Plays Three in Arizona

NOTES l LIVE VIDEO (vs ASU)

POCATELLO, Idaho - Idaho State travels to play in the Residence Inn Challenge in Tempe, Ariz. the second tournament of the season for ISU. The Bengals play Alabama-Birmingham (2-1) at 11 a.m.  MFriday, Arizona State (3-0) at 8 p.m. Friday, and Iowa at 6 p.m. Saturday.

The Bengals finished last week's Utah State Invitational with a 1-2 record. ISU defeated Saint Mary's 3-1 but lost to Utah State 3-1 and Oregon State 3-0.

Outside hitter Tressa Lyman led the Bengals with 43 kills and Hayley Farrer tallied 116 assists in her first major action as the starting setter. Kylee Searle-Sessions tallied 48 digs and was named to the all-tournament team.

Chad Teichert has a 102-84 record in his seventh season as the Idaho State head coach.

ABOUT ALABAMA-BIRMINGHAM
UAB is 2-1 after wins over Southeastern (La.) (3-2) and Georgia State (3-1) and a 3-0 loss to No. 16 Michigan State.

Sydney Nelson leads the Blaze with 36 kills and Gabbi Moreno has 57 assists to pace UAB. Alexis Howell has a team-high 44 digs.

Kerry Messersmith has a record of 174-101 at UAB. She is in her ninth season.

ABOUT NO. 17 ARIZONA STATE
No. 17 Arizona State is undefeated with wins over San Diego State (3-0), Hawaii (3-0) and Ohio (3-2).

Macey Gardner has 44 kills and Bianca Arellano has 117 assists to lead the Sun Devils. Halle Harker has a team-high 39 digs.

Jason Watson is 87-103 in his seventh season as the head coach at Arizona State.


ABOUT IOWA
Iowa is 2-1 on the season with a loss to Texas A&M (3-0) and victories over UTSA (3-1) and Tulane (3-0).

Alex Lovell leads the Hawkeyes with 35 kills and Alyssa Klostermann has a team-high 54 assists. Michelle Fugarino has 50 digs to pace Iowa.

Bond Shymansky is in his first season as the head coach at Iowa.

BENGAL NEWCOMERS
Two incoming freshmen join Oregon State transfer Amy Sorensen as new additions to the 2014 ISU squad. Highland High School product Ashlyn Van Every followed in her sister Breanne's footsteps to play for the Bengals. The 5-11 freshman will look to make her mark as a setter for the ISU squad.
 
Nicole Breidenbach comes to Idaho State from Skyline High School in Idaho Falls. She will be an outside hitter and defensive specialist for the Bengals.

Sorensen brings experience Pac-12 experience from her time at Oregon State but prior to her time there she was a second-team All-American at Snow College.

BENGAL PICKED FIRST IN THE BIG SKY
The reigning Big Sky champion Idaho State Bengals tied for the top spot in the preseason poll.
 
The Bengals received four first-place votes and 108 total points to tie for first with Northern Arizona.
 
ISU returns six of seven starters including First-Team All-Big Sky outside hitter Tressa Lyman, Big Sky Tournament MVP, middle blocker Mackenzie Filer and Big Sky All-Tournament team member, libero Kylee Searle-Sessions.
 
Northern Arizona finished one spot behind Idaho State in the 2013 regular season but defeated ISU 3-2 both times they faced each other.