Pocatello, ID - Idaho State Volleyball has enjoyed a historic start to the 2024 season.
The Bengals are sitting at 11-3 for the first time since 1987. They finished with a 9-3 non-conference record for the first time since 2003, and they have started conference play at 2-0 and currently sit in first place in the Big Sky standings.
But as is the case with any sport, now is not the time to get complacent, as we were on to the most important slate of the season: the next one.
The Treasure State Institutions of the Big Sky are coming to Pocatello. On Thursday, Oct. 3, the Montana State Bobcats will tip off against their hosts in Reed Gym at 7:00pm in a clash between feline conference foes that have a lot of history between them.
Following this, the well-known maroon and silver of the Montana Grizzlies will see orange and black when they step on ISU's campus for a matinee matchup with the Bengals at 2:00pm on Saturday, Oct. 5.
Quick Scouting - Montana State Bobcats
Hometown: Bozeman, MT
Matchup with ISU: Thurs, Sep. 3 - 7:00pm // Reed Gym
2024 Record: 3-10 (1-1 conf.)
2023 Record: 24-9 (12-4 conf.)
Last Year's matchups: 2-0 vs. ISU
Player Highlights: Offensively, the Cats are led in kills by junior Madilyn Siebler (126) and senior Jourdain Kamps (111). Kamps (50.0) and fellow senior Jordan Radick (51.0) are just on the Bengals' tail in the national block rankings.
ISU vs. MSU -Â ESPN+ Broadcast // LiveStats
Quick Scouting - Montana Grizzlies
Hometown: Missoula, MT
Matchup with ISU: Sun, Sep. 5 - 2:00pm // Reed Gym
2024 Record: 5-8 (0-2 conf.)
2023 Record: 11-18 (7-9 conf.)
Last Year's matchup: 1-0 vs. ISU
Player Highlights: Senior Paige Clark, an Idaho Falls native, has been an offensive weapon for the Griz with 175 kills on the season. She currently has the most points per set in the Big Sky (4.65.) Defensively, Brenley Hansen and Sierra Dennison are 4th (1.28) and 7th (1.04), respectively in blocks per set. The Griz are also led by head coach Allison Lawrence, a 2022 Big Sky Coach of the Year award winner.
ISU vs UM - ESPN+ Broadcast // LiveStats
Bengal Bites
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The history between the Bengals, Griz, and Cats is some of the most storied in the conference, as the three schools are among the six original charter institutions of the Big Sky back when it was founded in 1963. Idaho, Gonzaga, and Weber State were the other three original members at the time.
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The Bengals currently sit at first place in the Big Sky with a 2-0 conference record. They are one of four schools to go undefeated in the opening weekend but take the top spot with the best overall record over Sac State (9-6), Weber State (5-8), and Portland State (3-10)
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Three Bengals had career highs in the first week of conference play against Eastern Washington. Jaydin Watts recorded 15 kills, Aliyah Sopo'aga set up a daunting offensive attack with 50 assists, and Meline Robarge earned a .565 kill percentage on 13 kills.
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With 177 total team blocks on the season, ISU's standing as the #1 defense in the nation continues into another week. The orange and black have more blocks than any school in D1 volleyball and 15 more than second-place Boston College.Â
