University of Northern Colorado Athletics
University of Northern Colorado
Montana State
Women's Volleyball Starts a Four Match Road Trip in Montana This Weekend
10/1/2014 3:18:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Northern Colorado women's volleyball starts a four match road trip at Montana State, Friday, Oct. 3 and Montana, Saturday, Oct. 4 looking for their first conference win.
Northern Colorado women's volleyball looks to pick up their first confrence win of the season when they start their four match road trip against Montana and Montana State
Northern Colorado Notes | Big Sky | Montana State | Montana
Match 15
Who: Montana State 3-11, 0-2 Big Sky
When: Friday, October 3 at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Bozeman, Mont. Shoryer GymÂ
All-Time Series: Northern Colorado 16-3 (Last, October 24, 2013 UNC, 3-0)
Match 16
Who: Montana 2-12, 2-0 Big Sky
When: Saturday, October 4 at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Missoula, Mont. West Auxilary GymÂ
All-Time Series: Tie 9-9 (Last, October 26, 2013 UM, 3-0)Â
Recaping Last WeekÂ
* The Bears opened up ccnfrence season at home falling in two hard fought matches to Idaho and Eastern Washington.
* Kendra Cunningham recourded a double-double in both matches, (15 kills, 12 digs vs UI; 20 kills 11 digsvs EWU)
* Setter Ashley Guthrie had a season high 55 assists against Idaho
* Timarie Nymeyer set a career high in kills against Eastern Washington (19). She had a combined 36 kills on the weekend.
* Nymeyer hit an outstanding .720 against Eastern Washington (19-1-25)
Previewing Montana State
* Montana State oppened Big Sky play against Idaho State and Montana, loosing both matches.
* The Bobcats are 3-11 overall, and currently on an five match loosing streak.
* Freshman Jolie Meade leads all Big Sky freshman in hitting percentage at .347
* MSU was picked to finish 10th in the Big Sky preseason poll.Â
Previewing Montana
* Montana swept their opening weekend of Big Sky play winning at Weber State and Montana State, both in 5 sets.
* The Griz are riding a two match win streak going into the weekend after starting the season at 0-12.
* Montana was picked to finish 9th in the Big Sky preseason poll.Â
A Bear to Deal With
* Northern Colorado returns their top three kills leaders from last year in outside hitter Kendra Cunningham (359), middle blocker Brianna Strong (329), and middle blocker Andrea Spaustat(310).Â
* So far in the 2014 season Strong (114), Spaustat (139), and Cunningham (162) have accounted for 57.3% of the teams kills.Â
No Sophomore Setting Slump
* Sophomore setter Ashley Guthrie returns after a steller freshman year, shooting into the Northern Colorado Division I record books currently sitting 4th all time in sets with 1775 assists.
* There has been no sign of a sophomore slump for Guthrie second on the team in hitting at .378, along with her 517 total assits, and 75 kills, and 9 service aces.
* It is not just her offense, but defense that has helped her this season with 30 blocks, most coming at pivitoal moments of matches, and 78 digs.Â
Freshman Trio
* The freshman trio of Alex Kloehn, Kim Weissmann, and Timarie Nymeyer have quickly found roles on the team.
* The trio has helped bring balance to the Bears offense, to go along with Cunningham, Spaustat, and Strong.
* Klohn has earned the start in six matches this year leading the way with her blocking ability, 24 total on the year, including seven of them coming in her first ever match against Eastern Illinois. She is tied for the team lead in solo blocks at 4 with Andrea Spaustat.
* Weissmann started off coming off the bench due to her excellent serving, 8 aces on the year,and soon found a perminent spot in the rotation after her seven kill preformance against Wisconsin. Her career high in kills is 15 vs Idaho.
* Nymyer has worked her way into the starting line-up with her offensive ability, recording her first career kill against Colorado State. She earned her first careeer start against Long Beach State, and has reset her career record in kills the past five matches; it now sits at 19.
Record Breakers
* Andrea Spaustat took over the school's Division I record in total blocks, passing Lizzy Rhoads with 349, she now sits at 361. She also now sits 4th all-time in the school's Divsion I solo blocks at 32.Â
* Spaustat also moved up two spots in the school's Division I record book for kills passing Kelley Arnold and Marissa Hughes, now sitting third all time with 86.
* Setter Ashley Guthrie passed Linnea Killsgaard for fourth all time in Northern Colorado's Division I history.Â
* Brianna Strong passed Kelley Arnold in both block assists and total blocks, now sitting 5th overall in both catagories
Records Watch
* Andrea Spaustat has two records in her sight in career aces and solo blocks. She is three aces away from tying Amanda Wiggins for 2nd with 89 aces. Kelly Arnold's 37 career solo blocks is in Spaustats sight, for 3rd all-time.Â
* Brianna Strong currently stands tied for second overall in the schools Division I history for solo blocks with 40, with Ashley Lichtenberg and three behind Lizzy Rhoads.Â
Changes to Big Sky Format
* With the addition of Idaho to the Big Sky there are some new changes for the Big Sky in regards to standings and conference tournamentu There are now two divisions North and South. The North consists of Northern Colorado, Eastern Washington, Idaho, Montana, Montana State, and North Dakota. Th South has Idaho State, Northern Arizona, Portland State, Sacramento State, Southern Utah, and Weber State.Â
* The top team from each division make the conference tournament, plus the top six teams regardless of division affiliation, for a total of eight teams in the tournament.
* The 2014 conference tournament will be hosted by the regular season conference champion, November 20-22.Â
A Look AheadÂ
* Northern Colorado continues their Big Sky road trip going to Idaho State and Weber State.
* The Bengals enter this weekend 2-0 in confrence play, while Weber State is 0-2; they both travel to Sacramento State and Portland State this weekend.
