|
Skylights open Frontier schedule
By Ryan Divish/Havre Daily News Sports Editor/rdivish@havredailynews.com
The preseason that seemed to be taking forever for the Montana State University-Northern
volleyball team is now a memory.
The Skylights open the Frontier Conference as they travel to Butte today to
take on the Montana Tech Orediggers at 7 p.m. at the HPER Complex on the
Montana Tech campus.
While her players may not think so, head coach Lisa Handley wouldn't mind a
few more preseason matches before the conference season to polish a few
things up. But the Skylights won't get that luxury as they open up against
one of the top teams in the Frontier Conference.
The Montana Tech Orediggers sport a 12-6 record including a 24-30, 30-22,
30-19, 30-20 win over the Skylights earlier this season at the Rocky Mountain
Volleyball Invitational.
"We've seen them before and know what playing against them is
like," Handley said. "We definitely know what we need to work on
from the last match. There shouldn't be any nerves."
What the Skylights need to work on is their serve-receive and their own
serving, according to Handley.
"Tech is the best serving team in the
conference," Handley said. "It places a lot of pressure on our
serve-receive game to get our offense started. We also have to cut down on
our service errors."
Indeed, Northern committed 17 service errors in the first meeting, which in
rally-scoring means 17 free points for Tech. And that makes it nearly
impossible for any team to win.
"We can't afford that many errors," Handley said. "Tech is way
too good of a team to give free points."
Instead, Northern must capitalize on the few mistakes Tech makes. Because
they serve so aggressively, he Diggers have a tendency to make some service
errors. Handley said her team must be able to use those mistakes to their
advantage.
Another adjustment the Skylights have prepared for is the Diggers' best
hitter, Marrin Audet, who transferred from the University of Montana. Audet,
a 6-0 outside hitter, is lefthanded which is a little different look.
"We don't see a lot of lefthanders," Handley said. "It's
something different. We have to be aware of it because they run a lot of
stuff to her."
Audet has given Tech another big hitter to compliment middle blockers Angela
Bausch and Janalee Stokken.
Leading the Tech defense is senior libero Kaila Minehan, who leads the
Diggers with 269 digs on the season while setter Becky Hancock is very
consistent.
It doesn't get much easier for the Skylights. After playing Tech, Northern
will drive four more hours to Lewiston, Idaho on Saturday to take on a solid
Lewis-Clark State Warrior squad.
Like Tech, LC is the type of team that doesn't make mistakes, rather forcing
opponents into them.
"Tech and LC don't make commit a lot of unforced errors," Handley
said. "They pick up everything and keep it in play."
The Warriors are led by all-conference, all-region middle blocker Amy Flaig
of Missoula. Flaig led LC last year in kills (209), kills per game (2.87),
total blocks (102) and second on the team in digs (209).
Joining Flaig is honorable all-conference selection Lindsey Iroume at middle
blocker, senior Kim Conder at outside hitter and libero Courtney Callaghan also
of Missoula.
Lewis-Clark has plenty of experience returning and a distinct home court
advantage.
"It's a very tough place to play," Handley said. "It's a small
gym, the fans are right on top of you and it get's very, very loud in there.
We have to stay composed."
For the Skylights to keep their composure, Handley will look to her two
seniors - Mitsu Phillips and Tanja Bruski - for leadership.
"I need Tanja and Mitsu to step up, especially when we're on the
road," Handley said. "They need to show younger players how to play
hard at all times because our younger players definitely look to them during
matches."
Phillips is leading the Skylights in kills while Bruski leads the team in
blocks. Freshman libero Nicole Kruse has shown little fear this season while
setter Kelly Thorpe has been slowly recovering from a sprained ankle.
Practice has suffered this week as Handley and several of her players have
been victimized by a flu bug going around campus. But a little sickness is no
excuse in conference play.
"They're ready to go," Handley said. "They know they have to
be ready to push and fight through whatever happens. They're getting excited.
We've been working all week to go 2-0 on this first road trip."
|