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POCATELLO, Idaho – Idaho State will split the final week of the regular season between the road and Reed Gym. The Bengals play Montana State in Bozeman, Mont. on Thursday before hosting Senior Night against Montana Saturday night. Victories in both matches would give Idaho State a win against every team in the conference during the 2018 season.
Where They Stand
The Big Sky Conference Tournament takes place Nov. 22-24 in Greeley, Colo. Idaho State can finish no lower than the fifth seed and has the potential to move into third. ISU is currently tied for third with Weber State, but the Wildcats hold the tiebreaker.
Montana State clinched the seventh of eight postseason positions last week. Montana will clinch the final playoff spot this week with just one win or a loss from both Portland State and Southern Utah.
For the full Big Sky volleyball standings click here.
Last Time Out
Idaho State swept Portland State before knocking off Sacramento State in four sets to move ahead of the Hornets in the playoff picture.
Idaho State hit .325 overall with 15.9 kills per set. They hit .331 against Sacramento State which marked a new season high during conference play. Abby Garrity averaged 5.14 kills and 3.34 digs per set in the two wins.
Haylie Keck collected 27 digs and became the first player in Idaho State history to reach 600 digs in a single season with her 10th dig of the match against Sacramento State.
Chelsea Johnson recorded 13 assists, 2.86 digs and 0.43 blocks per set. She had 91 assists on 200 attempts.
Nicole Lee was the only other Bengal to top 20 kills between the seven sets. The junior finished with 24 while Taylor Meeks, Brooke Pehrson and Raegan Steiner combined for 45 kills and 15 blocks.
Idaho State
Idaho State is riding a five game winning streak with a 17-12 overall record and 11-5 record against conference opponents. Senior Night will mark the final home appearances for Alexis Simmons, Lee and Garrity.
Johnson climbed to No. 3 in the nation with 1,246 assists this season. She needs just 40 more to break into the ISU single season top-10. Meanwhile, Keck fell just outside the national top-10 in total digs. She now sits at No. 12 with 606.
Garrity broke 400 kills against Sacramento State and is now No. 31 in total kills. She also ranks among the nation's top-50 in attacks (No. 26 with 1,217), points (No. 35 with 471.5) and attacks per set (No. 44 with 11.17).
Lee has a shot at breaking 300 kills for the first time in her career and currently sits at 271. She had never reached 50 kills in a season before 2018. Pehrson is six kills away from 250 for the season. On defense, she has tallied 133 total blocks which is the 21st highest total in DI volleyball.
The Bengals are generating 13.1 kills, 12.5 assists, 15.1 digs, 2.2 blocks and 1.4 aces per set this season. Their hitting percentage has climbed to .232 for the season with the team combining for a .317 hitting percentage or better in three of its last four games. They have limited opponents to a combined .203 hitting percentage in 2018.
Scouting Montana State
Montana State enters the match with an 11-16 overall record and a 6-10 mark in conference play. The Bobcats have won just three of their eight matches at home. Last week they were on the road and swept Eastern Washington before losing 3-1 to Idaho.
Hannah Scott and Evi Wilson both eclipsed 250 kills last week. The duo provides 5.43 kills per set for MSU and both have more than 40 blocks. Scott has also been effective in the back line with 2.12 digs per set.
Kelsie White was the first player for MSU to reach 100 blocks this season. She has also been the most efficient attacker for Montana State with a .245 attacking percentage.
Setter Carina Lehto has started 19 of MSU's 27 matches and averages 8.89 assists and 2.64 digs per set. Allie Lynch has made the other eight starts with 7.38 assists and 1.68 digs per set.
MSU has attacked much more efficiently than its average in wins. The team has hit at least 46 percentage points higher in every BSC victory except for its win over Portland State on Oct. 20. The block is also instrumental in their victories; the team averages 1.9 blocks per set overall, but 2.2 blocks per set in wins.
The Bobcats produce 12.1 kills, 11.3 assists, 15.8 digs, 1.9 blocks and 1.3 aces per set. They hold a .185 attacking percentage while opponents have hit .223 against them.
Daniel Jones has been with Montana State for three years and is in his second season as head coach. He carries a 21-31 overall record.
ISU vs. MSU
Idaho State is 40-33 against Montana State all time. Most of those wins have come at home with MSU holding a 21-16 advantage when playing in Montana. The Bengals have won seven straight against the Bobcats and 17 of the last 20 meetings. Their last loss to MSU was Aug. 28, 2012.
Scouting Montana
Montana enters this week with a 9-19 record and 6-10 tally in Big Sky play. The Grizzlies have plenty to play for as they hope to fend of Portland State and Southern Utah for the final Big Sky Conference Tournament position this week. Montana traveled west last week and was swept by Idaho before rebounding with a sweep of Eastern Washington.
Mykaela Hammer has been the focal point of the offense this season with 3.14 kills per set. She also chips in for 2.33 digs and 0.62 blocks per set.
Alexis Urbach has started just eight of UM's 28 matches, but is second on the team with 2.63 kills per set. Five others record at least one kill per set and Olivia Bradley leads the team with a .315 hitting percentage.
Baily Permann is the leading blocker for the Grizzlies with 0.89 stuffs per contest. Bradley also contributes 0.66 blocks game. Five players have 200-plus digs this season and Ashley Watkins ranks 67th in the nation with 1,038 digs.
The Griz average 12.1 kills, 11.5 assists, 15.5 digs, 1.9 blocks and 1.1 aces per set. They carry a .174 attacking percentage while opponents have a collective .233 hitting percentage when facing UM.
Montana has five seniors on roster. Urbach, Hammer, Silerolia Gaogao, Cassie Laramee and Brittany Gay will all play their final regular-season contest in Reed Gym.
Allison Lawrence served seven years as an assistant coach at Montana before assuming head coaching duties in 2017. She holds a 17-40 record in two seasons.
ISU vs. UM
Montana has a 41-35 edge over Idaho State although the Bengals are 19-16 when hosting the Griz. The Bengals have won eight consecutive matches against UM with their last loss coming in November of 2011.
