Sophomore Sandra Bandimere |
BOZEMAN, Mont. – Aimee Halyk (12) and Meggie Malyurek (11) both tallied double figures in kills to lead Montana State to a 3-0 (30-23, 30-26, 30-20) victory over Sacramento State in a Big Sky Conference volleyball match Friday evening at Shroyer Gym.The loss marked the first time the Hornets have been beaten in Big Sky play this season as the team dropped to 13-7 overall and 3-1 in the conference. The Hornets also missed the opportunity to start the conference season 4-0 for the first ever (the team joined the Big Sky in 1996). Sacramento State has now lost to Montana State in Bozeman, Mont., each of the last three years. The Bobcats improved to 13-7 overall and 3-2 in conference with the victory.
Four Bobcats recorded at least four blocks as Montana State badly outblocked Sacramento State (14-8). The Bobcats’ Ana Schanze and Megan Zanto each tallied seven blocks to lead all players while Kamber Kelly (five) and Halyk (four) also chipped in at the net. Sacramento State hit just .096 in the match, the team’s second-lowest output of the season. Only one Hornet with at least two kills finished with a hitting percentage above .237 (Lisa Beauchene with seven kills and a .375 mark). Sacramento State committed 32 errors in 156 total attacks.
Conversely, the Bobcats hit .248 while Kelly (.500), Halyk (.476) and Schanze (.400) each hit at least .400. The Hornets had not been swept in conference play since falling at Eastern Washington on Oct. 28, 2000.
For the sixth time in the last seven matches, Sandra Bandimere led Sacramento State in kills as the sophomore finished with a match-high 14. Four other Hornets finished with at least six kills comprising Beauchene (seven kills, 32 assists, six digs and four blocks), senior Jayme Wright (seven kills and 10 digs), junior Kazmiera Imrie (six kills) and sophomore Emily Wilson (six kills). For the fourth-straight match, freshman Mallory Hook led the Hornets in digs with 13.
Sacramento State travels to Missoula, Mont., tomorrow (Saturday, Oct. 12) to face Montana at 6:30 p.m. PDT. The Hornets have won each of the last five meetings against the Grizzlies.
NOTES -- Sacramento State has now been swept just eight times by a conference opponent since joining the Big Sky in 1996...the last time the Hornets beat the Bobcats in Bozeman, Mont., was a 3-2 victory on Oct. 13, 1999...Montana State’s 14 blocks tied for the most allowed by the Hornets this season (Pacific)...the Hornets’ 32 errors tonight were the most they’ve committed in three games all season.
