Weber State University Athletics
Weber State University
Montana
'Cats Fall 3-1 to Montana
11/21/2008 7:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Ogden, UT -- The Weber State volleyball team saw its five-match winning streak come to an end Friday after a tough 3-1 loss to Montana at the Swenson Gym. The loss drops WSU to 19-12 overall and 8-7 in Big Sky play with one conference match remaining. The Grizzlies won the match 31-29, 22-25, 25-18, 26-24.
The match was very close throughout with 44 ties and 21 lead changes. The first set had 12 ties and seven lead changes before Montana won the marathon set.
Weber State rallied back with a strong second set, posting 15 kills and just three errors. The third set saw just one lead change. The Wildcats tied the match at 16-16 when Montana went on a 9-2 run to close out the set.
The fourth set had 16 ties and nine lead changes. Weber State lead 23-20 late but the Eagles finished with a 6-1 run to close out the match and get the victory.
“Montana played a great match and you have to take your hat off to them,” said WSU head coach Al Givens. “It was a very even match. Our hitting was one of the differences. We can't think about it too long. We have to turn around and get ready for Montana State Saturday.”
Statistically, the match was very even with Montana finishing with three more kills and three more assists. WSU had four more digs and did out block UM 17-10. The 17 blocks is a team season-high for Weber State.
Montana out hit the Wildcats .194 to .51 as WSU totaled 30 hitting errors. They also finished with nine service errors.
Weber State was led by Chelsea Bair who posted her Big Sky-best 18th double-double of the season with 14 kills and 17 digs. Leah Burmeister also added 14 kills for the ?Cats, along with nine digs. Amy Dunford had seven kills and a career-high ten blocks. Brittney Bisaillon added nine kills and five blocks for the ?Cats.
Junior Caitlyn Anderson finished with 20 digs, which made her the Weber State career leader in total digs. Anderson now has 1,245 career digs, breaking the previous record held by Kathy Nickel (1986-89).
With the loss the ?Cats fall to 8-7 in league play with one match remaining Saturday against Montana State in Ogden. WSU will close out the regular season Saturday at 7:00 p.m. at the Swenson Gym against Montana State.
The Big Sky Tournament will be held next Friday and Saturday in Portland, Oregon.
