Volleyball Gears up for Conference Opener at Montana State

Game Notes | Live Stats

POCATELLO, Idaho – The Idaho State volleyball team heads out for their 11th-straight road match this Thursday as they head to Bozeman, Mont. to face Montana State at 7 p.m. at Shroyer Gym. This match will serve as the conference opener for both squads and the beginning of the 16-match road to the Big Sky Tournament.

ABOUT MONTANA STATE
This will be the 71st meeting between ISU and Montana State. Idaho State leads the series 37-33 and has not lost to the Bobcats since Sept. 28, 2012.

Montana State returns 10 letter winners and five starters from last year's squad that finished sixth in the North Division with a 4-12 BSC record and a 7-21 overall record. Notable returners for the Bobcats include senior middle blocker Natalee Godfrey and junior outside hitter Loni Kreun. Godfrey was named second-team all-Big Sky after recording a .342 hitting percentage for the season. That number was good for second in the Big Sky and 88th at the NCAA Division I level. Kreun currently leads the Bobcats in kills and digs with 81 53 respectively.

This season, MSU is 2-6 overall and has yet to play a match on its home floor. The Bobcats average 12.2 kills per set with a .170 hitting percentage and 11.3 assists per set. Montana State averages 13.3 digs per set and has 56.0 total blocks on the season for a 1.8 blocks per set average.

Head Coach JJ Riley is in his first year with the Bobcats.

The Bengals will be back home for their second match of the week as they face Weber State in Pocatello on Saturday, Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. in Reed Gym.

ABOUT WEBER STATE
This will be the 84th meeting between Idaho State and Weber State. The Bengals have not lost to the Wildcats since Oct. 27, 2011 and have swept the Wildcats 3-0 in the last three meetings.

Weber State returns eight letter winners and six starters from last year's team that finished tied for 11th in the Big Sky Conference with a 7-24 overall record and a 3-13 mark in conference.

Currently, the Wildcats are 4-7 on the season is 8-2 and are averaging 11.2 kills per set with a .179 hitting percentage in addition to 10.3 assists per set. Weber State averages 12.8 digs per set and have 116.0 total blocks on the season for a 2.8 blocks per set average.

Head Coach Jeremiah Larsen is in his first year with Weber State.

LAST MATCH: ISU FALLS TO NEW MEXICO IN FIVE SETS
The Idaho State volleyball team won its second straight match after sweeping McNeese State in three sets, 25-14, 25-23 and 25-17.
 
Sophomore outside hitter Chloe Hirst continued her dominate play at the net, recording a match-high 14 kills with a .458 hitting percentage. Senior outside hitter Tressa Lyman notched 11 kills and 10 digs for her eighth double-double of the season.

McNeese State scored the first points of the match but the lead was short-lived as the Bengals went on a 13-3 run to take a commanding lead, 13-4. Four different Bengals recorded kills during that run, and ISU was able to capitalize on six different errors committed by the Cowgirls. The Bengals maintained their lead and cruised to the 25-14 first set win.

The second set featured 11 ties and four lead changes in a back-and-forth battle. ISU recorded the first points of the match but a 4-0 run by McNeese State Cowgirls in front, 4-1. ISU responded with a 4-1 run of its own to tie the match 5-5. The Bengals took the lead 6-5 off a kill from junior setter Hayley Farrer and extended their lead to as many as three points two separate times. The Cowgirls closed the gap to lead 23-22, but ISU closed out the set with a 3-1 run to win the set 25-23.