Volleyball Comes Home for Two Big Sky Matches

Thursday, November 6

Greeley, Colo.

7 pm

University of Northern Colorado

Montana

11/4/2014 2:14:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Montana and Montana State come to Butler-Hancock this weekend as Northern Colorado looks to get closer to Big Sky Tournament

By: Ryan Pfeifer, UNCBears.com

Northern Colorado Volleyball hosts their final conference matches of the season against Montana and Montana State

Northern Colorado Notes | Big Sky | Montana | Montana State

Match 25
Who: Montana 6-18, 6-6 Big Sky
When: Thursday, November 6 at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Butler-Hancock
All-Time Series: Northern Colorado 10-9 (Last October 4, 2014; UNC 3-1)

Match 26
Who: Montana State 5-19, 2-10 Big Sky
When: Saturday, November 8 at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Butler-Hancock
All-Time Series: Northern Colorado 17-3 (Last October 3, 2014; UNC 3-0)

Recaping Last Week
* The Bears split their matches winning at Portland State in a sweep and falling to North Dakota in four sets
* Andrea Spaustat had a solid weekend leading the Bears with 24 kills.
* Senior middle blocker Brianna Strong had another strong weekend with 19 kills and nine total blocks
* Meagan Garcia recorded her second and third straight match recording 20 digs, 20 vs PSU; 25 vs UND
* In the match with North Dakota, UNC recorded 91 digs including five players getting double digits.

Previewing Montana
* Montana enters Thursday's match at .500 in Big Sky play having won 3 of their past four matches.
* Capri Richardson is third in the Big Sky in hitting percentage during conference play
* Northern Colorado defeated Montana in the first match up between the teams earlier this season 3-1 in Missoula.

Previewing Montana State
* Montana State currently sits sixth in the Big Sky North Division with a 2-10 conference record
* Kasey Schlatter has the most digs in any game so far in the Big Sky recording 36 at Canisius
* The Bears beat the Bobcats 3-0 in the previous match up this season in Bozeman.

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).
* So far in the 2014 season Strong (203), Spaustat (242), and Cunningham (280) have accounted for 58.9% of the teams kills.

No Sophomore Setting Slump
* Sophomore setter Ashley Guthrie returns after a stellar freshman year, shooting into the Northern Colorado Division I record books currently sitting 3rd in the schools DI history and 8th all-time with 2,182 assists.
* There has been no sign of a sophomore slump for Guthrie first on the team in hitting at .336, along with her 924 total assists, and 122 kills, and 17 service aces.
* It is not just her offense, but defense that has helped her this season with 56 blocks, most coming at pivotal moments of matches, and 166 digs.
* Guthrie became the ninth player in Northern Colorado history to join the 2,000 assist club on October 18 against North Dakota

Freshman Trio
* The freshman trio of Alex Klohn, Kim Weissmann, and Timarie Nymyer 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 seven matches this year leading the way with her blocking ability, 34 total on the year, including seven of them coming in her first ever match against Eastern Illinois. She is fourth on the team in solo blocks at 4.
* Weissmann started off coming off the bench due to her excellent serving, 12 aces on the year, and soon found a permanent spot in the rotation after her seven kill performance 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 career start against Long Beach State, and has reset her career record in kills the past five matches; it now sits at 19. She was the first of two Bears to hit above .700 in a match this year, doing it against Eastern Washington. (.720).

Records Breakers
* Andrea Spaustat took over the school's Division I record in total blocks, passing Lizzy Rhoads with 349, she now sits at 381. She also now sits 4th all-time in the school's Division I solo blocks at 36.
* Spaustat also moved up to 3rd in the school's Division I record book for kills passing Ashley Lichenberg. She also is second in service aces and points.
* Setter Ashley Guthrie passed Lauren Carter for third in assists Northern Colorado's Division I history and eighth all-time.
* Brianna Strong is now the school's Division I leader in solo blocks with 45, passing Lizzy Rhoads. Strong also passed Kelley Arnold in both block assists and total blocks, now sitting 5th overall in both categories.
* Strong is also now third in total blocks for the school's Division I history passing Ashley Lichtenberg with 333.

Records Watch
* Andrea Spaustat has two records in her sight in career aces and solo blocks. She is two aces away from Daniel Angus 95 aces. Kelly Arnold's 37 career solo blocks is in Spaustat's sight (36), for 3rd all-time.
* Brianna Strong sits just two block assists away from fourth overall in Northern Colorado's Division I history, currently held by Ashley Lichtenberg (288).

Getting Offensive
* The Bears are second the Big Sky in kills per set at 13.52 overall, and first in the conference for conference matches at 14.36
* Ashley Guthrie is leading all sophomores in the conference with a .336 hitting percentage and third overall in the Big Sky.
* Northern Colorado had two players hit above .700 in two straight matches, first Timarie Neymyer (.720) against Eastern Washington and then Andrea Spaustat (.733) against Montana State

Conference Race Heats up
* The Bears currently sit one game behind Idaho and North Dakota for the lead in the Big Sky North Division
* Idaho State currently stand two games above everyone else in the conference with an 11-1 record
* The team with the best conference regular season record will host the eight team tournament November 20-22

A Look Ahead
* Northern Colorado will finish the Big Sky regular season on the road traveling to Eastern Washington and Idaho
* Both the Eagles and Vandals are on the road this weekend facing Northern Arizona and Southern Utah.