Portland State Sweeps Past Bobcat Spikers

Saturday, October 25

Bozeman, MT

7 pm

Montana State University

4-18, 1-9Big Sky

Portland State University

7-15, 5-5Big Sky

Portland State

Montana State

Junior middle blocker Natalee Godfrey.

Photo by: R. Dean Hendrickson

10/25/2014 10:29:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

“I thought our net play was incredibly better than last week,” MSU Head Coach Kyle Weindel said. “Kennadie and Natalee (Godfrey) played well and got us a lot of points. However, we still need points from other spots and we need those positions to step-up and give us solid play.”

By: Tom Schulz

Despite having its best blocking match in eight outings and its best hitting night in Shroyer Gym this season, the Montana State volleyball squad came up short in the waning moments of all three sets to fall to Portland State 25-19, 25-23, 25-21, Saturday night.

Trailing 15-10 in the opening set, Montana State (4-18, 1-9) rallied to pull to within 16-15 following a Kennadie Clute kill. Portland State (7-15, 5-5) responded with a 9-4 run to close out the set.

The second stanza featured eight ties and three lead changes, before the Vikings broke away at 20-20 with four consecutive points. MSU fought off three set points before PSU ended the game on a Cheyne Corrado kill.

Portland State jumped out early in the final set and built its largest lead at 24-17, but again, Montana State fought off four match points before Sarah Liva ended the contest with a kill.

"I thought our net play was incredibly better than last week," MSU Head Coach Kyle Weindel said. "Kennadie and Natalee (Godfrey) played well and got us a lot of points. However, we still need points from other spots and we need those positions to step-up and give us solid play."

For the match, MSU hit .240 from the floor, including hitting over .300 in the first and third sets. In addition, the Bobcats posted six total blocks, its best output since recording 7.5 blocks against Montana on Sept. 27, which was a five-set match.

"We played an 80-percent match," Weindel said. "We still need to battle to get over the hump and win the set and match."

Clute paced Montana State with a match-high 17 kills, while Godfrey added 12 kills and a team-best .625 attack mark. Sophomore setter Katie Harrington dished out 36 assists and added eight digs.

Godfrey paced the Bobcats at the net with four blocks, while Eli Svisco added three. Senior libero Kasey Schlatter recorded a match-high 14 digs and Kasey Altman added nine saves.

"We're still not there yet," Weindel said. "We're still a young team with a ways to go. We'll keep on learning and taking steps forward."

Portland State was guided by Corrado with 12 kills and ten digs.

Montana State will host Big Sky newcomer Idaho next Thursday at 7 p.m