'Cat Spikers Drop Home Opener
MSU serve-receive game breaks down in 3-0 loss
Tom Schulz
9/25/2009 1:22:13 PM
Boxscore
The Montana State volleyball team committed 13 service errors and ten reception errors, en route to a 25-20, 25-18, 25-23 loss to Montana, Friday night in front of 1,240 spectators in Shroyer Gym.
“That was the story of the match,” said MSU head coach Sara Schaub. “We were right there with them in every other category, including out-hitting them in sets one and three. Our serve-receive game just broke down at the wrong moments.”
Montana (5-8, 1-2) opened the match running out to a 20-8 advantage. However, Montana State (2-10, 0-3) slowly chipped away at the lead and closed to within 24-20 following a Jodeen Rademacher kill. UM won the set on a kill by Whitney Hobbs.
In the second stanza, UM broke away from a 13-all tie with a 6-2 run and cruised to the win.
Montana State held a 12-8 advantage in the final set, before Montana rattled off a 7-3 run to tie the stanza at 15-all. The Grizzlies scored three unanswered points, but MSU responded to close to within 18-17 on a Kyla Hendry kill.
UM held the advantage before a Rademacher winner pulled MSU to within 24-23. Montana won the match on another Bobcat service error.
“I thought we played well at time and really fed off the energy of the crowd,” Schaub said. “It was a fun environment to play in; the crowd was terrific.”
MSU was led by Hendry with nine kills and two blocks, while Rademacher posted eight kills and a team-high seven digs.
Montana was paced by Jaimie Thibeault and Hobbs with nine kills, apiece.
MSU will host Weber State next Friday in Shroyer Gym.