(Editor's note: Montana State Athletics)
BOZEMAN -- A pair of veterans and a pair of freshmen paced the Montana State volleyball team to a 25-12, 25-16, 22-25, 19-25, 15-9 victory over Carroll College, Tuesday night in Shroyer Gym.
Senior Evi Wilson posted a match-high 12 kills, while hitting .324 from the floor and junior Kelsie White added 11 kills and a .381 attack mark to spark the Bobcats. Freshmen Kira Thomsen and Emma Pence combined for 19 kills and a .356 attack efficiency in their debut in the Blue & Gold.
As usual, senior libero Allyssa Rizzo anchored the back row with a match-high 34 digs, averaging an impressive 6.8 saves per set. Senior Sydney Mathison dished out 47 assists and added three blocks. Pence, a product of Carson City, Nevada, paced MSU at the net with a match-best five blocks.
Also posting double-digit digs were Thomsen 12 and Hannah Scott 11.
“It was exactly what we wanted out this experience,” said MSU third-year head coach Daniel Jones. “We were able to put some players in and see what they can do. I really appreciated Carroll College for coming with their A-game and putting us under a lot of pressure. We were able to see how our players respond under stress.
“We were able to challenge our own kids to step-up in those moments,” Jones continued. “We were able to see a lot and it was exactly what we wanted to do at this time of year in an exhibition match. It met its purposes in all descriptions.”
For the match, MSU hit .229 as a team, recording 61 kills.
Carroll College was paced by Aliyah Williams and Hannah Dean with 11 kills, apiece.
Montana State opens its regular-season at the University of Arkansas tournament, Aug. 30-31 in Fayetteville.
