Bobcat Spikers Come Up Short

Monday, October 21

Missoula, MT

7 p.m.

Montana State University

5-16, 3-7BSC

Montana

9-10, 6-4BSC

Montana State

Montana

Photo by: R. Dean Hendrickson

10/21/2013 10:04:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

The Montana State volleyball team got off to a good start, but was unable to sustain its level of execution and intensity, eventually falling to Montana 23-25, 25-22, 25-19-, 25-19, Monday night in Big Sky Conference play.

By: Tom Schulz

BOXSCORE

The Montana State volleyball team got off to a good start, but was unable to sustain its level of execution and intensity, eventually falling to Montana 23-25, 25-22, 25-19-, 25-19, Monday night in Big Sky Conference play.

Montana State (5-16, 3-7) hit at a .258 clip and served up four aces in the opening set, but Montana (9-10, 6-4) answered in the next three games behind strong blocking and the leadership of Kayla Reno.

"We allowed Montana to get some kills that maybe that shouldn't have mostly in part to our lack of execution," said MSU head coach Kyle Weindel. "For the second straight match we played like an inexperienced team when we had a lot on the line."

Freshmen Kennadie Clute and Loni Kreun paced MSU with 18 and 15 kills apiece, while Eli Svisco added eight kills and seven blocks. Anna Sykora dished out 46 assists, while senior libero Nicole Baker added 12 digs and four aces.

For the match, Montana out-hit the Bobcats .226 to .128 and held a commanding 16-8 edge in blocking.

"It will be a short week as we head into one of the hardest weekends of the season at Northern Colorado and North Dakota," Weindel said. "At the bare minimum, we'll need a split to stay in the hunt for a Big Sky Conference tournament berth."

UM was paced in the win by Reno with a match-high 19 kills.

MSU will play at UNC on Thursday night in Greeley, Colo.