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Skylights host Rocky, Carroll in final home matches of the season
By Ryan Divish/Havre Daily News Sports Editor/rdivish@havredailynews.com
In the grand scheme of things -particularly the Frontier Conference
standings - the pair of conference volleyball matches the Montana State
University-Northern volleyball team will host this weekend mean very little.
Conference matches meaning little? Kind of.
Win or lose, Northern will finish in sixth place in the conference standings
and go in as the sixth seed in next weekend's conference tournament.
Still, these matches are important in terms of gaining confidence for the
tournament and because it will be the last time that seniors Tanja Bruski,
Emmy Olson and Mitsu Phillips will play on the floor at the MSU-Northern
gymnasium as Skylights.
"They realize it," said Skylights head coach Lisa Handley. "We
talked all year about having no regrets and going out and playing hard. I
don't want them to ever look back and wonder if they played hard enough,
especially in their last home matches."
And their last home matches won't be easy as the Skylights host a rejuvenated
Rocky Mountain College squad tonight and the always tough Carroll College
Fighting Saints on Saturday.
The Skylights limp into this weekend a little
nicked up. Phillips has been bothered by a sore right shoulder in the past
few weeks, but should play. However, sophomore outside hitter Lindsay Garcia
went down with a sprained ankle earlier in the week and most likely will not
be available for the weekend.
Still having her best two hitters beat up a week before the conference
tournament isn't the ideal equation for success.
"Obviously, it's not an ideal situation," Handley said.
"Lindsay is pretty upset because she feels like she is letting the team
down. But Julie Henderson played well last weekend against Westminster and,
hopefully, Tanja and Emmy will step up. I also think Mitsu will come through."
Northern will be looking to even up the season series with Rocky, who holds a
2-1 edge. The Bears dumped the Skylights 30-27, 26-30, 26-30, 27-30 in their
last meeting in Billings.
But much has changed since that last meeting, including the Bears' lineup,
which has undergone some serious changes in the past few weeks.
"They've made some lineup changes," Handley said. "They sat
Alyssa Root and moved Tess Morrison on the outside. And they've basically
been setting Katy Furlong 40 or 50 times a game and living and dying by her
performance."
Indeed, Furlong is among the leader in the Frontier Conference in kills per
game. She has 397 kills on the season and has given Northern plenty of
problems this season.
"They're definitely a different team than we've played in the
past," Handley said. "Katy is a tremendous player. She hits the
ball fast and hard and we have to be ready for it. Our blocking has to be
there. We need Jeanna McPherson to play like she's been playing lately."
But Rocky's success doesn't completely hinge on Furlong. The Bears lead the
Frontier in digs, assists, service aces and blocks.
"It's going to be a defensive battle," Handley said. "We need
our serve-receive to be there and we have to communicate."
Regardless of Rocky's changes and Northern's injuries, Handley still has
confidence in her team.
"Rocky is still a team we know we can beat," Handley said. "We
just need to play like we're capable of."
While is Handley is confident about tonight, the past doesn't inspire a lot
of confidence for Saturday night's match. Northern has never beaten Carroll
College in Handley's tenure.
It's something she would like to change this weekend, but it certainly won't
be easy. The Saints are currently in second place in the Frontier with a 9-3
conference record.
"You never know what Carroll team is going to show up," Handley
said. "It usually depends on what happens in Great Falls. If they play
poorly against UGF, they're going to come in here fired up."
However, there are few Saints players - one in particular - who don't need
UGF for motivation. Carroll senior Mary Lester, who is one of the premiere
players in the Frontier, always seems to play just a little bit better
against Northern. It could be because Lester and Phillips are close friends who
enjoy competing against each other.
"Mitsu and Mary always play well against each other," Handley said.
"And Tanja and Mary have a pretty good rivalry going. Mary has been
Tanja's nemesis for the past four years. It would be great for her to get her
on senior night."
Lester leads the Saints in kills, kills per game, aces and digs, but she
isn't the only contributor for Carroll. Krista Heavirland, Amber Miller,
Katie Polette and Lena Mortenson also play key roles for the Saints. Still,
Lester is the unquestioned leader of the Saints.
"I really respect Mary and what she's done in her career," Handley
said. "It's been fun watching her grow."
As for her trio of seniors, Handley knows there might be a few tears shed
before and after their final home match.
"I'm sure it's going to be very emotional," Handley said.
"This is my first group of recruits to graduate. Emmy and Tanja stuck it
out for all four years and Mitsu would have if she could have. They have
started something here that we hope the group of our young players will
follow."
But with all the emotion there is still volleyball left to play.
"I want this to be fun for them," Handley said. "But we're
here to play volleyball and beating Rocky and Carroll on the same weekend
would be a great memory for them."
The Northern matches will begin at 7 p.m. both nights.
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