Bobcats Travel to Grand Forks for UND Tournament

WHO: Montana State at North Dakota
WHEN: Thursday, Sept. 8, 2002, 6 p.m. (MT)
WHERE: Grand Forks, North Dakota at UND Tournament – Betty Engelstad Sioux Center
RECORDS: Montana St. 1-5, 0-0; AND 2-4, 0-0 Summit
SERIES: North Dakota leads all-time series 10-3 (2009)
LAST MTG: october 28, 2017 – Montana State 3, @ AND 2

WHO: Montana State vs. Fordham University
WHEN: Friday, Sept. 9, 2022, at 5 p.m. (MT)
WHERE: Grand Forks, North Dakota at UND Tournament – Betty Engelstad Sioux Center
RECORDS: Montana St. 1-5, 0-0 BSC; Fordham 5-1, 0-0 A-10
SERIES: First Meeting
LAST MTG: First Meeting

LIVE VIDEO: MSU’s match against UND will be streamed live at 6 p.m. (MT), Thursday Midco Sports & msubobcats.com

NEXT UP: The Montana State volleyball team will face a familiar foe this weekend when it travels to Grand Forks, N.D. for the University North Dakota Tournament. The Bobcats will face former Big Sky Conference rival UND on Thursday at 6 p.m. (MT), before concluding tournament action against Fordham University, Friday at 5 p.m. Montana State have never faced the Rams, while the Bobcats and Fighting Hawks will be playing for the 14th time, with UND holding a 10-3 advantage in the all-time series. The last meeting between MSU/UND came on Oct. 26, 2017, as Montana State upset North Dakota 14-25, 25-23, 25-27, 28-26, 15-11 – then the defending Big Sky champions – and snapping UND’s 20-match home court winning streak in the Betty Englestad Sioux Center.

THREE-TWO-FLU: Montana State has already played in four five set matches (out of a possible six matches played) and have come up short each time, losing 3-2 decisions to San Francisco, Grand Canyon, St. Thomas and last Saturday to Bryant University.

BOBCAT BITES: Montana State junior middle blocker Emma Pence was named to the Bryant University All-Tournament team for her play against the Bulldogs, Boston College, and Harvard. For the weekend, the product of Carson City, Nevada, totaled 25 digs, averaging 2.08 per set with a .345 attack mark. In addition, she recorded 14 total blocks, averaging 1.17 bps, while chipping in seven digs and three service aces. Pence recorded 10 kills against Harvard and Bryant, while registering a weekend-high six blocks against the Crimson…senior Kaycee O’Dell started both matches against Harvard and Bryant and produced 18 blocks, notching nine each match. On the season, the native of Glendale, Arizona leads the Big Sky Conference averaging 1.71 bps.

SIDE OUTS:

* Avery Turnage led the Cats at the Bryant Tournament averaging 2.60 kills per set.
* Sophomore setter Audrey Hofer dished out 7.75 assists per set in three matches at Bryant U.
* As a team the Bobcats totaled 38 blocks at Bryant, averaging an impressive 3.17 bps.
* Last fall, MSU ranked No. 1 in the Big Sky and were 61st in the country with 264 total blocks
*  MSU committed 48 services errors last weekend, to just 28 by its opponents.
* Jordan Radick was the 2021 Big Sky Freshman of the Year, the first for MSU since 2013
* Radick, a product of Bozeman High, averaged 2.30 kills, 1.00 blocks and hit .190 last weekend.
* MSU’s highest RPI wins last year came over #78 Boise State and #124 North Texas

* Last year, MSU dropped five-set decisions to #16 Washington. #44 Arkansas & #78 Weber State
* Montana State ranked 51st in the nation last season averaging 845 fans per match.