Game Notes | Watch vs. Idaho on Watch Big Sky TV or Pluto TV (242) | Stats vs. Idaho | Watch vs. Eastern Washington on Watch Big Sky TV or Pluto TV (234) | Stats vs. Eastern Washington
POCATELLO, Idaho – The Idaho State volleyball team begins a four-game road streak with matchups with Idaho and Eastern Washington this week. The Bengals play the Vandals Thursday and the Eagles Friday with first serve set for 8 p.m. MDT in both contests.
Last Time Out
Idaho State had its first winless weekend of the 2018 season last week after falling to Southern Utah and Northern Arizona at home. The Bengals have lost two-consecutive games three times this season, but have bounced back with a win on each occasion.
Abby Garrity led the team with 36 kills while adding 14 digs and five blocks. Brooke Pehrson and Taylor Meeks were both active at the net, combining for 14 blocks and 36 kills. Pehrson claimed the 10th spot on ISU's career blocks list and moved to eighth in block assists.
Chelsea Johnson's output of 96 assists kept her among the nation's leaders (No. 5 in assists). She also had two kills, an ace, 15 digs and four blocks in the two matches. The sophomore reached 1,000 career assists against Southern Utah.
Haylie Keck anchored the back line with 54 digs as she moved into the second position on ISU's career digs list. Nikole Cook and Mahala Bradburn were also active in the back line with 31 digs between the two. Â Â
The Bengals hit well below their season average with a .168 attack percentage largely in part to errors against Northern Arizona. The defense remained strong with 1.89 blocks per set and 16.33 digs per set. The attack will look to recapture the efficiency it has thrived on for much of the season.
Where They Stand
Idaho State now sits fifth in the conference standings with a 6-4 record in conference play. Idaho sits atop the standings at 8-2 and has not lost a game since losing to Idaho State in the first matchup this season. Â
Eastern Washington is in the Big Sky cellar after starting winless in its first 10 games of Big Sky play. However, the last two weekends have proven that any Big Sky team can be a threat.
For a full look at the conference standings, click here.
Idaho State
The Bengals are now 12-11 overall with a 6-4 mark in conference play.
Garrity is the clear leader on offense with 3.87 kills per set. She has also been key on serve receive and on defense with 2.20 digs per set.
Johnson has achieved spreading the ball effectively with four other players averaging at least 1.59 kills per set; Lee and Pehrson are both well above two kills per set. Johnson is averaging 11.16 assists per set and chipping in for 1.83 digs per set.
Pehrson is having one of the most efficient seasons on record, hitting at a .304 clip. She has also been a spark for ISU at the service line (25 aces) and the catalyst for the defense with 109 blocks. Â
Haylie Keck has placed herself in the top-10 single season records for digs once again after claiming the season record in 2016 and the second spot in 2017. She currently has 491 digs which is tied for fifth on the single season records list. At a minimum, the Bengals will play eight more games, giving her a good chance to surpass her career high of 599.
Idaho State is averaging 12.9 kills, 12.3 assists, 14.9 digs, 2.2 blocks and 1.4 aces per match this season. Getting ahead early has been key for the team. The Bengals are 9-1 when winning the first set and 3-10 when losing the opening frame.
Scouting Idaho
League-leading Idaho will be looking for revenge and a chance to even up the Battle of the Domes record when they host Idaho State Thursday night. The Bengals were the last team to top the Vandals with a 3-1 win in Reed Gym for the first win of the 2018 Battle of the Domes. Idaho State holds a 2-1 advantage in the series this year with wins in volleyball and football.
The Vandals are 14-8 overall and 8-2 in conference play. Their only losses came against Weber State and Idaho at the end of September. Last week Idaho dropped Northern Colorado in four sets and swept Eastern Washington. The Vandals are strong at home with a 5-1 record in Moscow, Idaho this season.
Kaela Straw, Sarah Sharp and Reece Carman all average more than three kills per set and have a hitting percentage above .240. All three of them are hovering around 50 blocks this season, though DeVonne Ryter and Nikki Ball lead the team in stuffs with 79 and 98 respectively.
Haylee Mathis just surpassed 800 assists for the season while Alycia Wodke leads the team with 408 digs. Idaho holds opponents to the 69th lowest hitting percentage in the nation at 0.177. They limit their opponents with a strong back line and the 22nd most blocks per set in the nation (2.67).
The Vandals generate 13.3 kills, 12.4 assists, 15.1 digs, 2.7 blocks and 1.1 aces per set.
Debbie Buchanan is in her 19th season with the Vandals. She carries a 287-266 record with Idaho. Â
Idaho holds a narrow edge in the series with ISU trailing 19-22. ISU will look to even the series record in Moscow. The Bengals are 8-9 against Idaho on the road.
Scouting Eastern Washington
Eastern Washington was 8-4 in nonconference play, but has spiraled to an 8-14 record on an 11 game losing streak. The Eagles are 0-10 in Big Sky play and are coming off losses to Idaho and Northern Colorado.
Nobody on the EWU roster averages more than three kills per set with the ball being spread around the court. Three players tally two or more and five others have at least 1.36 kills per set.
Setter Samantha Boever has 661 assists this season for the team lead. The Eagles are No. 87 in the nation at 15.95 digs per set with both Puaoolelagi Sao and Catelyn Linke recording more than three digs per set.
The block is led by Kamille Langford with 63 on the season. Kennedy Kaminsky is the only other blocker at the half-century mark with 50.
The Eagles tally 11.0 kills, 10.1 assists, 16.0 digs, 1.9 blocks and 1.1 aces per set. Leslie Flores-Cloud is in her first season as head coach at EWU with an 8-14 overall record.
Idaho State is 38-40 all-time against Eastern Washington. The Eagles have fared much better against the Bengals when hosting with a 22-12 record. Idaho State dominated EWU in the first match of the season with a conference season high .319 hitting percentage. Eastern Washington was unable to finish closer than six points in the sweep for ISU.
