Game Notes |Â Live Stats | Stream both games on Watch Big Sky TV or Pluto TV Channel (243)
POCATELLO, Idaho – Idaho State volleyball returns to Reed Gym this week on a three game winning streak after taking three of its last four matches on the road. The Bengals host Portland State Thursday and Sacramento State Saturday with first serve set for 7 p.m. in both matches.
Last Time Out
Idaho State is now guaranteed a spot in the Big Sky Volleyball Conference Tournament after two big wins over Weber State and Northern Colorado. The Bengals grabbed a five-set win in Ogden, Utah before dominating the UNC Bears in a four-set match.
Haylie Keck,
Abby Garrity and
Chelsea Johnson were instrumental in the victories. Keck, who was named U.S. Bank Bengal Athlete of the Week, collected 58 digs between the two matches with a huge performance against UNC. Against the Bears, she tallied 35 digs which ranks eighth on ISU's single match records list.
Garrity recorded 40 kills on 102 attacks and had just six errors last week for a .333 hitting percentage. She had double-doubles in both games and posted a career-high 25 kills against Northern Colorado.
Johnson averaged 11.7 assists per set with 106 assists on 206 attempts. The sophomore also added four kills, 14 digs and nine blocks.
This Season
The Bengals improved to 15-12 overall and are 9-5 in conference play. After a stellar September that saw them finish 8-3, they went 4-5 in October. Their win against Northern Colorado gave them a perfect start to November with the conference championships drawing near.
Brooke Pehrson and
Nicole Lee are both nearing 250 kills this season and Garrity ranks No. 35 in the nation with 393 kills. Johnson currently ranks No. 5 in total assists with 1,155 and Keck ranks No. 9 in total digs with 579.
Pehrson has anchored the block with 124 stuffs this season. She is ranked No. 24 for total blocks and No. 62 in blocks per set (1.20).
Idaho State generates 12.9 kills, 12.4 assists, 15.1 digs, 2.2 blocks and 1.4 aces per set. They have hit .226 this season while limiting opponents to a .203 attacking percentage.
Where They Stand
Idaho State is currently tied for fourth with Weber State in the conference standings at 9-5. Idaho remains at the top of the standings with a 12-2 record and is trailed by Northern Arizona (11-3) and Sacramento State (10-4).
The Bengals could pull even with SAC if they defeat the Hornets on Saturday night. Portland State is currently a bubble team sitting tied for ninth place with Southern Utah. Though PSU is outside the playoff picture at 4-10, the team only trails Montana and Montana State, who are both 5-9, by one game in the race for the postseason.
What to Watch For
Keck is closing in on two records for the Idaho State volleyball program. She is just 21 digs away from breaking her own single season record of 599 digs set in 2016. If she surpasses that mark, she will be the first player in school history to reach 600 digs in a season.
She is also 69 digs away from becoming ISU's all-time digs leader. The current record holder is
Kylee Sessions with 1,795 career digs.
Scouting Portland State
Portland State is 5-21 with a 4-10 mark in Big Sky play. The Vikings played four sets in both of their matches last week with a loss to Idaho and win against Eastern Washington.
Jenna Mullen and Katy Wilson lead PSU on the attack with 437 kills between the two. Mullen leads the team with 2.97 kills per set and Wilson holds the team lead in blocks with 0.94 per set. The Vikings have three players with 230-plus digs in Peyton McBride, Mackenzie Sullivan and Hadley Heck.
PSU averages 11.2 kills, 10.5 assists, 15.0 digs, 1.8 blocks and 1.1 aces per set. The team has seen an uptick in almost every major category since the start of conference play. The Vikings have hit just .169 this season while opponents have hit at a .245 clip against them.
Michael Seemann is in his 12th season as head coach at Portland State and served as an assistant coach for two years prior. He carries a 199-129 overall record with a 130-54 mark in Big Sky play.
Idaho State is 23-36 against Portland State with an 11-13 record when playing in Reed Gym. The Bengals won the first meeting in five sets after losing the first frame. They evened the match at 1-1 before losing the third set 27-25 and won back-to-back sets for the victory. Garrity fell just one dig shy of a 20-20 night and Johnson tallied 63 assists in the win.
Scouting Sacramento State
Sacramento State is 15-13 this season with a 10-4 record in conference play. The team swept Eastern Washington Nov. 1 before losing a five-set battle to Idaho Nov. 3.
Mikaela Nocetti has been terrorizing opposing defenses with 3.90 kills per set. She and Sarah Davis have collected 56.9 percent of the team's total attacks this season; Nocetti accounts for 32.8 percent herself and is No. 14 in attacks per set (12.25) and No. 30 in total kills (402).
Lana Brown and Brie Gathright each have a strong defensive presence at the net. The duo has combined for 227 stuffs this season with Brown ranking No. 21 in total blocks (126). Freshman setter Ashtin Olin poses a dual threat with 10.15 assists per set and 89 kills this season.
Sacramento State produces 12.28 kills, 11.35 assists, 15.87 digs, 2.47 blocks and 1.68 aces per set. They have hit just .196 this season, but that number rises to .232 against conference opponents. SAC has five players capable of being huge contributors in the back line, perhaps the most dangerous servers in the conference and a strong block which has helped them limit opponents to a .186 hitting percentage.
Head Coach Ruben Volta is in his 11th season with Sacramento State. He holds a 180-170 overall record.
Idaho State carries a 13-33 record against the Hornets and are 8-15 when hosting SAC. Sacramento State swept ISU in the first meeting this season with Nocetti leading the way with 21 kills.
