Idaho was unable to take a set from the Montana State University Bobcats at Thursday night’s home game at Memorial Gym.
The Vandals kept the game close in sets one and three, but mistakes and miscommunication cost them a heavy loss in set two. While the Bobcats led all of sets one and two, the crowd stayed with it as the Vandal’s tried to rally behind freshman outside hitter Taryn Vrieling, freshman outside hitter Olivia Gloeckner and redshirt junior middle blocker Travel Morris.
The Vandals kept it close in their set one loss for a final score of 25-22. Constant communication errors would see them lose any momentum they had built up throughout the set. The stalwart Idaho defense was also lackluster at the net, allowing Montana State to get an early 12-5 lead. The Vandals were able to claw their way back into the game through team effort.
A kill from Morris, a service ace by freshman libero Aine Doty and an attack error made by Jourdain Klein got the Vandals within three. The rest of set one would continue this theme of the Bobcats pulling ahead and the Vandals trying to mount a comeback. With the score at 19-17, a potential kill made by the Bobcats turned into a wild rally as Munday tried to keep the ball alive by diving onto the sideline tables. Despite the valiant effort from the Vandals, the Bobcats took set one 25-22.
Set two, while close at the beginning, was eventually dominated by Montana State. Even though Munday and Morris were able to get their block party going early, most points for Idaho came from Montana State attack errors. Kills from Idaho’s senior setter Hailey Pelton and freshman outside hitter Taylor Brickey would help keep the Vandals within arm’s reach as Montana State led 7-5.
The Bobcats started to put on an offensive clinic led by sophomore middle blocker Jordan Radick, sophomore outside hitter Jourdain Klein and sophomore setter Audrey Hofer each getting kills. Hofer then set up a service ace to take the game to 17-8.
Idaho may have looked well in the beginning of the set, but by the time the Bobcats broke 20 points Idaho’s defense looked stagnant. Many of Montana State’s points came from attacking open court positions left by the Vandals. The Bobcat’s attack led to a match point of 24-14, but the Vandals scored two points off Bobcat attack errors to make it 24-16. However, Radick got the final kill to take the set 25-16.
Set three was the Vandal’s chance to try and make this a game as a Morris kill started the set. After that, something set off for the Vandals as they raced to a 10-3 lead by go-ahead kills and soft touches over the net from Gloeckner. Idaho’s defense began to rise to the occasion blocking many of Montana’s kills in back-to-back plays. This time it was Montana’s turn to fall behind from the thousand cuts of mistakes that befell the Vandals in set two. Even after witnessing the end of set two, the crowd at Memorial Gym stayed right in it when the Vandals started to bring exciting plays from Vrieling, Gloeckner and Morris.
Montana State was unable to catch a break in the first half of set three. Any momentum they built would be instantly stopped by one of their own attacking errors or Idaho’s unrelenting pressure offensively. With the score sitting at 14-20 it looked like the Vandals had set three in the bag, but the Bobcats had other plans. Junior outside hitter Kira Thomsen sparked to life sending kills perfectly into the holes of Idaho’s defense and winning against the block on multiple attempts. The Bobcats also awoke on defense getting two major blocks to stilt the once overpowering offense Idaho had earlier in the set. Vrieling tried to save her team’s lead with an almighty kill that ended up in the second story seating at Memorial Gym, setting the score 21-22. The Vandal’s lead cut to just one point, but it wasn’t enough as right after, Thomsen got a kill, sending it right back to a tie. Montana State’s Radick then put on a shooting spree with three kills in a row, including one getting through both Munday and Morris on match point to end the game 25-22.
The Vandals brief home stint will be followed by a four-game road trip starting off against Weber State University on Nov. 3.
A recap of Idaho’s 3-2 loss to Montana today will be coming soon.
Ricky Simmons can be reached at [email protected]