Thursday, October 15
Bozeman, MT
7:00 pm MT
Montana State University
vs
Utah Tech
Photo by: Bobcat Creative Services
Volleyball Hosts Southern Utah, Utah Tech
10/14/2026 12:56:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
BOZEMAN, Mont. – The Montana State volleyball team returns to Shroyer Gym to host a pair of new Big Sky opponents, with Utah Tech on Thursday and Southern Utah on Saturday.
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Coming off a win at Portland State on Saturday, MSU (11-6, 4-2) looks to defend the home court, with just one loss in Bozeman this season. The Trailblazers (13-3, 6-0) and the Thunderbirds (1-15, 0-6) sit on opposite sides of the conference standings.
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The Bobcats and Trailblazers have met just once previously, resulting in a 3-0 MSU win prior to the transition from Dixie State to Utah Tech. The Cats lead the series with the Thunderbirds, collecting eight wins and six losses between 2012 and 2021, when Southern Utah spent its first stint as members of the Big Sky.
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Both matches will be streamed on ESPN+ with first serve at 7:00 p.m. MT. Live stats will be available via StatBroadcast, and single-match tickets are available now. Fans are encouraged to arrive early on Thursday, with the first 500 fans receiving a free T-shirt for the white-out theme. Saturday will mark the annual Pack the Place in Pink game and will feature a silent auction with all proceeds supporting Montana residents battling breast cancer.
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SPELTS STANDING OUTÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â
Senior Joelie Spelts has been Montana State's most consistent star this season. Spelts leads MSU with 189 kills and averages 2.74 per set while hitting .387. In the Bobcats' win over Idaho, Spelts established a new school record, hitting .846 with 11 kills on 13 attempts. The previous single-match hitting record was held by Cori Carper, who hit .824 against VCU in 1996, and requires a minimum of 12 attack attempts. Spelt's .846 marks the 15th best single-match percentage on 10-14 attempts in the NCAA this year.
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KARLI'S KILLING ITÂ Â
Senior outside hitter Karli Heidemann leads the Bobcats with 3.12 kills per set this season, the sixth-best average in the conference. After missing sets early in the season due to injury, Heidemann has returned to her regular role on MSU's offense, leading the team's kills in eight of the last 10 matches. Heidemann's 181 kills are second best amongst MSU, just eight behind Joelie Spelts. With 14 service aces, the senior has accounted for 205.5 of the Bobcats' points this year.
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TEE IT UPÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Outside hitter and former MSU golfer, Lauren Greeny is high on the stat sheet in several categories after making her return to collegiate volleyball this season. After a knee injury sidelined her career as a freshman in high school, the 5th year's return to the court has exceeded expectations as she has totaled 171 digs, 130 kills, 24 assists, 16 aces, and 35 blocks across 68 sets this season.
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SETTING UP SUCCESSÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
At the core of the Bobcat offense, sophomore Teagan Jaynes was named Big Sky Co-Offensive Player of the Week after an outstanding performance at NAU and PSU last week. Averaging 9.17 assists per set this season, Jaynes has already surpassed 1,500 career assists and is just 200 away from earning a spot at No. 10 on Montana State's career assists list. She is second in the Big Sky with 605 sets this season, adding to 140 digs, 54 kills and 24 service aces.
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NOBLE EFFORTSÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â
After a standout season-opening performance in Easton, sophomore libero Nicolette Noble was named Big Sky Defensive Player of the Week for the first time in her career. Starting all three matches in the first week of the season, Noble made a career-high 24 digs against Marist. Noble then bested her career mark at the Mercer Invitational, logging 28 digs in the preseason finale with Georgia State, en route to her second Big Sky weekly recognition. She continues to lead the Bobcat defense with 276 digs and 17 starts at libero this season.
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OFFENSIVE OPTIONSÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Four Bobcats have surpassed triple digits on offense this season. Joelie Spelts leads the team with 189 kills, while Karli Heidemann sits just behind at 181. Lauren Greeny is up to 130, while Elli Tufto has 121 so far. Playing in just 36 sets this season, freshman Elli Esko is nearing the mark as well, with 90 kills this season. Setter Teagan Jaynes continues to distribute opportunities throughout the offense, targeting a variety of hitters and adding a challenge of her own as she has totaled 54 kills while hitting .236.
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DEFENSIVE DOMINANCEÂ Â
Led by Nicolette Noble's 276 digs, three more Bobcats have surpassed the 100 mark this season. Lauren Greeny has racked up 171, Teagan Jaynes is up to 140, and Karli Heidemann was the latest addition to the triple-digit club with 108. Settling into her role as defensive specialist, sophomore Afton Thomsen has recorded 63 digs with an increased presence on the court in conference play.
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UNDER THE BIG SKYÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Several Bobcats have found their way into the top of the Big Sky standings so far. Joelie Spelts holds the fourth-best hitting percentage at .387. Teagan Jaynes ranks second amongst setters, averaging 9.17 assists per set with 605 total. Jaynes also boasts the fifth-best aces per set average at 0.36, with a team-leading 24 aces so far. Karli Heidemann sits at sixth with a 3.12 kills per set average, as well as averaging 3.54 points per set. Lauren Schloe is averaging 0.97 blocks per set, with 35 total, coming in at No. 9 in the conference standings. Nicolette Noble ranks seventh with her 4.00 digs per set average. As a team, the Bobcats are third in the league with 12.72 kills per set, fourth with a .228 hitting percentage, and fourth with 11.74 assists per set.
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SPLIT THE ROAD TRIPÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
After losing by a narrow margin at Northern Arizona last Thursday, Montana State bounced back with a sweep over Portland State. The Bobcats outkilled the Vikings 49-23 in the first win over the Oregon team since 2023. Four MSU players were in double-digit kills between both matches, with Karli Heidemann and Joelie Spelts leading the way at NAU, totaling 17 apiece. Freshman Elli Esko clocked a career-best 13, and Lauren Greeny added to MSU's 66 kills with 10 of her own. At PSU, Heidemann led the way with 14 kills, while Esko had 11 and Spelts had 10.
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TOOK THE MAIN LINE BACK TO BOZEMANÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
In the 2026 Big Sky opener, the Bobcats downed the Montana Grizzlies in a four-set win. A trio of double-digit hitters paced the offense for the Bobcats, as Karli Heidemann led the team with 13 kills and added 11 digs. Senior Joelie Spelts was just behind with 12, hitting .409 on the night, in addition to eight blocks. As a team, the Bobcats led in nearly every category with 49 kills, 78 digs and 14 blocks to the Grizzlies' 44 kills, 73 digs and five blocks.Â
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FIVE SET FIGHTINGÂ
Since the season opener against Delaware, six of Montana State's games this season have finished after five sets, with five resulting in wins for the Bobcats. The Cats are 7-1 when winning the first set, and 5-1 when winning the first two.
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PRESEASON PROGRESSÂ Â Â Â
After concluding the non-conference season with a pair of wins at the Mercer Invitational, the Bobcats finished preseason play with a 7-4 record. Seven wins equal the most wins under Matt Houk since his inaugural season in 2023, when the Cats went 7-3 before Big Sky action began.
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CAN'T BLOCK THE CATSÂ Â Â Â Â Â
Montana State has allowed the fewest blocks per set amongst Big Sky teams, averaging 1.65. Through 69 sets, the Bobcats have been blocked just 114 times, making way for offensive opportunities.
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BESTED THE BISON
In the first game of the Bobcat Invitational, Montana State downed North Dakota State 3-2 in a five-set fight. MSU and NDSU posted even stat lines throughout the match, with momentum alternating between the sets. MSU fell behind early in the decider as NDSU crept ahead to a 6-1 lead, but the Cats showed no quit and battled back to a tie at ten before a 5-0 run to secure the victory.
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STARTED WITH A SWEEPÂ Â Â Â
Montana State opened the season with a weekend sweep at the Maroon and White Classic. With three wins in two days, the Bobcats are off to their best start since Houk's inaugural season in 2023. The MSU trio of Elli Esko, Nicolette Noble and Joelie Spelts earned all-tournament honors in Easton. Esko made her collegiate debut, powering the offense with 33 kills and a .329 pct. Noble, also named tournament MVP, was a key component in the defense and passing game, while Spelts racked up 29 kills and 11 blocks.
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KEEP AN EYE OUTÂ Â Â Â
Sophomore setter Teagan Jaynes and senior blocker Joelie Spelts were named to the All-Big Sky Conference Preseason Volleyball team. The pair of Bobcats join nine athletes expected to play a significant role in Big Sky action this season. Montana State was selected to finish sixth as a team.
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Follow the Bobcats
For the latest news, updates, and behind-the-scenes coverage of the Montana State women's volleyball team, follow the Bobcats @MSUBobcatsVB on X, Instagram, and Facebook. Information on the Montana State athletic program can be found online at msubobcats.com or by following @MSUBobcats on X, @MontanaStateBobcats on Instagram, and @Montana State Bobcats on Facebook.
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Coming off a win at Portland State on Saturday, MSU (11-6, 4-2) looks to defend the home court, with just one loss in Bozeman this season. The Trailblazers (13-3, 6-0) and the Thunderbirds (1-15, 0-6) sit on opposite sides of the conference standings.
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The Bobcats and Trailblazers have met just once previously, resulting in a 3-0 MSU win prior to the transition from Dixie State to Utah Tech. The Cats lead the series with the Thunderbirds, collecting eight wins and six losses between 2012 and 2021, when Southern Utah spent its first stint as members of the Big Sky.
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Both matches will be streamed on ESPN+ with first serve at 7:00 p.m. MT. Live stats will be available via StatBroadcast, and single-match tickets are available now. Fans are encouraged to arrive early on Thursday, with the first 500 fans receiving a free T-shirt for the white-out theme. Saturday will mark the annual Pack the Place in Pink game and will feature a silent auction with all proceeds supporting Montana residents battling breast cancer.
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SPELTS STANDING OUTÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â
Senior Joelie Spelts has been Montana State's most consistent star this season. Spelts leads MSU with 189 kills and averages 2.74 per set while hitting .387. In the Bobcats' win over Idaho, Spelts established a new school record, hitting .846 with 11 kills on 13 attempts. The previous single-match hitting record was held by Cori Carper, who hit .824 against VCU in 1996, and requires a minimum of 12 attack attempts. Spelt's .846 marks the 15th best single-match percentage on 10-14 attempts in the NCAA this year.
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KARLI'S KILLING ITÂ Â
Senior outside hitter Karli Heidemann leads the Bobcats with 3.12 kills per set this season, the sixth-best average in the conference. After missing sets early in the season due to injury, Heidemann has returned to her regular role on MSU's offense, leading the team's kills in eight of the last 10 matches. Heidemann's 181 kills are second best amongst MSU, just eight behind Joelie Spelts. With 14 service aces, the senior has accounted for 205.5 of the Bobcats' points this year.
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TEE IT UPÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Outside hitter and former MSU golfer, Lauren Greeny is high on the stat sheet in several categories after making her return to collegiate volleyball this season. After a knee injury sidelined her career as a freshman in high school, the 5th year's return to the court has exceeded expectations as she has totaled 171 digs, 130 kills, 24 assists, 16 aces, and 35 blocks across 68 sets this season.
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SETTING UP SUCCESSÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
At the core of the Bobcat offense, sophomore Teagan Jaynes was named Big Sky Co-Offensive Player of the Week after an outstanding performance at NAU and PSU last week. Averaging 9.17 assists per set this season, Jaynes has already surpassed 1,500 career assists and is just 200 away from earning a spot at No. 10 on Montana State's career assists list. She is second in the Big Sky with 605 sets this season, adding to 140 digs, 54 kills and 24 service aces.
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NOBLE EFFORTSÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â
After a standout season-opening performance in Easton, sophomore libero Nicolette Noble was named Big Sky Defensive Player of the Week for the first time in her career. Starting all three matches in the first week of the season, Noble made a career-high 24 digs against Marist. Noble then bested her career mark at the Mercer Invitational, logging 28 digs in the preseason finale with Georgia State, en route to her second Big Sky weekly recognition. She continues to lead the Bobcat defense with 276 digs and 17 starts at libero this season.
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OFFENSIVE OPTIONSÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Four Bobcats have surpassed triple digits on offense this season. Joelie Spelts leads the team with 189 kills, while Karli Heidemann sits just behind at 181. Lauren Greeny is up to 130, while Elli Tufto has 121 so far. Playing in just 36 sets this season, freshman Elli Esko is nearing the mark as well, with 90 kills this season. Setter Teagan Jaynes continues to distribute opportunities throughout the offense, targeting a variety of hitters and adding a challenge of her own as she has totaled 54 kills while hitting .236.
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DEFENSIVE DOMINANCEÂ Â
Led by Nicolette Noble's 276 digs, three more Bobcats have surpassed the 100 mark this season. Lauren Greeny has racked up 171, Teagan Jaynes is up to 140, and Karli Heidemann was the latest addition to the triple-digit club with 108. Settling into her role as defensive specialist, sophomore Afton Thomsen has recorded 63 digs with an increased presence on the court in conference play.
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UNDER THE BIG SKYÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Several Bobcats have found their way into the top of the Big Sky standings so far. Joelie Spelts holds the fourth-best hitting percentage at .387. Teagan Jaynes ranks second amongst setters, averaging 9.17 assists per set with 605 total. Jaynes also boasts the fifth-best aces per set average at 0.36, with a team-leading 24 aces so far. Karli Heidemann sits at sixth with a 3.12 kills per set average, as well as averaging 3.54 points per set. Lauren Schloe is averaging 0.97 blocks per set, with 35 total, coming in at No. 9 in the conference standings. Nicolette Noble ranks seventh with her 4.00 digs per set average. As a team, the Bobcats are third in the league with 12.72 kills per set, fourth with a .228 hitting percentage, and fourth with 11.74 assists per set.
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SPLIT THE ROAD TRIPÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
After losing by a narrow margin at Northern Arizona last Thursday, Montana State bounced back with a sweep over Portland State. The Bobcats outkilled the Vikings 49-23 in the first win over the Oregon team since 2023. Four MSU players were in double-digit kills between both matches, with Karli Heidemann and Joelie Spelts leading the way at NAU, totaling 17 apiece. Freshman Elli Esko clocked a career-best 13, and Lauren Greeny added to MSU's 66 kills with 10 of her own. At PSU, Heidemann led the way with 14 kills, while Esko had 11 and Spelts had 10.
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TOOK THE MAIN LINE BACK TO BOZEMANÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
In the 2026 Big Sky opener, the Bobcats downed the Montana Grizzlies in a four-set win. A trio of double-digit hitters paced the offense for the Bobcats, as Karli Heidemann led the team with 13 kills and added 11 digs. Senior Joelie Spelts was just behind with 12, hitting .409 on the night, in addition to eight blocks. As a team, the Bobcats led in nearly every category with 49 kills, 78 digs and 14 blocks to the Grizzlies' 44 kills, 73 digs and five blocks.Â
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FIVE SET FIGHTINGÂ
Since the season opener against Delaware, six of Montana State's games this season have finished after five sets, with five resulting in wins for the Bobcats. The Cats are 7-1 when winning the first set, and 5-1 when winning the first two.
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PRESEASON PROGRESSÂ Â Â Â
After concluding the non-conference season with a pair of wins at the Mercer Invitational, the Bobcats finished preseason play with a 7-4 record. Seven wins equal the most wins under Matt Houk since his inaugural season in 2023, when the Cats went 7-3 before Big Sky action began.
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CAN'T BLOCK THE CATSÂ Â Â Â Â Â
Montana State has allowed the fewest blocks per set amongst Big Sky teams, averaging 1.65. Through 69 sets, the Bobcats have been blocked just 114 times, making way for offensive opportunities.
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BESTED THE BISON
In the first game of the Bobcat Invitational, Montana State downed North Dakota State 3-2 in a five-set fight. MSU and NDSU posted even stat lines throughout the match, with momentum alternating between the sets. MSU fell behind early in the decider as NDSU crept ahead to a 6-1 lead, but the Cats showed no quit and battled back to a tie at ten before a 5-0 run to secure the victory.
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STARTED WITH A SWEEPÂ Â Â Â
Montana State opened the season with a weekend sweep at the Maroon and White Classic. With three wins in two days, the Bobcats are off to their best start since Houk's inaugural season in 2023. The MSU trio of Elli Esko, Nicolette Noble and Joelie Spelts earned all-tournament honors in Easton. Esko made her collegiate debut, powering the offense with 33 kills and a .329 pct. Noble, also named tournament MVP, was a key component in the defense and passing game, while Spelts racked up 29 kills and 11 blocks.
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KEEP AN EYE OUTÂ Â Â Â
Sophomore setter Teagan Jaynes and senior blocker Joelie Spelts were named to the All-Big Sky Conference Preseason Volleyball team. The pair of Bobcats join nine athletes expected to play a significant role in Big Sky action this season. Montana State was selected to finish sixth as a team.
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Follow the Bobcats
For the latest news, updates, and behind-the-scenes coverage of the Montana State women's volleyball team, follow the Bobcats @MSUBobcatsVB on X, Instagram, and Facebook. Information on the Montana State athletic program can be found online at msubobcats.com or by following @MSUBobcats on X, @MontanaStateBobcats on Instagram, and @Montana State Bobcats on Facebook.
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Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Volleyball
L/DS
/ Women's Volleyball
MB/OPP
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
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L/DS
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
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