Bengals Hit the Road for Final Conference Road Swing

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POCATELLO, Idaho – The Idaho State volleyball team travels to Portland State and Sacramento State for its final road swing of the regular season. The Bengals have already secured their spot in the Big Sky conference tournament, but they are still fighting for the top seed and right to host the conference tournament. Currently, Northern Arizona leads the South Division with an 11-1 BSC record, one game ahead of the Bengals.

SCOUTING PORTLAND STATE
This will be the 54th meeting between Idaho State and Portland State. ISU has won the last four meetings against the Vikings including a 3-2 win at home on Oct. 3, 2015.

Currently, PSU averages 12.3 kills per set with a .169 hitting percentage and 11.3 assists per set. The Vikings average 13.5 digs per set and have 180.5 total blocks on the season for a 2.0 blocks per set average. PSU is led by freshman outside hitter Jenna Mullen with 261 kills on the season for a 3.03 kills/set average.

The Hornets are coached by Head Coach Michael Seeman who is in his ninth year with Portland State. Seeman carries a159-106 overall record with a 7-17 record this season.

ABOUT SACRAMENTO STATE
This will be the 41st meeting between Idaho State and Sacramento State. The Bengals have not lost to the Hornets since Sept. 30, 2011.

Currently, Sac State is averaging 14.3 kills per set with a .262 hitting percentage in addition to 13.0 assists per set. The Hornets average 15.7 digs per set and have 234.0 total blocks on the season for a 2.32 blocks per set average. Sacramento State is led by senior outside hitter Lauren Kissell who averages 4.18 kills per set and carries a .322 hitting percentage. Kissell ranks third in the BSC in kills and fifth in hitting percentage.

Head Coach Ruben Volta is in his eighth season with the Hornets and is 115-133 overall.
 
LAST MATCH: ISU EARNS 10TH BIG SKY WIN IN SWEEP OF SOUTHERN UTAH
The Idaho State volleyball team swept Southern Utah 3-0 at home, solidifying the Bengals' position as second in the Big Sky Conference South Division.

Senior outside hitter Tressa Lyman led the Bengals with her 13th double-double of the season with match-highs in both kills and digs with 15 and 16 respectively. Junior setter Hayley Farrer had a solid night with a match-high 44 assists to go along with five kills and seven digs.

The first set of the match was neck-and-neck with 18 ties and 10 lead changes, but the Bengals ended up on top 34-32. The last time ISU scored 34 in a set was in 2012 at St. John's where ISU won the set 34-32 and took home the match 3-1. Four Bengals recorded four kills in the first set with a team hitting percentage of .210. ISU edged SUU in total kills 22-19 in the first.

The second set was equally as exciting as the first, with 16s and six lead changes. Middle blocker Makenzie Filer started the set off with a monster kill, the first of her three that set, starting a 4-2 run for the Bengals. The T-birds tied the score 4-all and neither team led by more than two points for the majority of the set. The Bengals broke free following a 22-all tie with a kill from sophomore Chloe Hirst. ISU capitalized on a SUU attacking error and finished the set in style with another Filer kill. The Bengals won the set 25-22 and headed into the break with a 2-0 match lead.

The final set was steady for the Bengals. ISU recorded 17 kills, 16 assists and 15 digs that led to a five-point victory for the final set. Lyman led the Bengals in kills in the final set with five, sophomore outside hitter Marissa Todd and Farrer both had four digs to lead the Bengals.

The Bengals travel to Portland State on Thursday, Nov. 5 with the match set for 8 p.m. MST, and then they head to Sacramento State for an 8 p.m. MST match on Saturday, Nov. 7.