BISMARCK, N.D. -- Bismarck State volleyball hits the road for the second consecutive weekend to compete against Montana Tech in Butte, Mont., followed by a matchup against Montana Western in Dillon, Mont. The Mystics enter Friday's matchup with a 2-6 overall record after falling in five sets against both Bellevue (Neb.) and Dakota State (S.D.) last weekend. The Mystics will attempt to end Montana Tech's eight-match winning streak.
How BSC Stacks Up
Eight matches into the season, the Mystics are hitting .144 as a team, averaging 11.2 kills, 10.3 assists, 1.8 aces, and 14.3 digs per set. The Mystics are hunting for cleaner execution at the net this weekend after being out-hit .162 to .144 in previous contests.
To secure a road sweep in Montana, setter Aislyn Hogan (291 assists, 21.0 blocks) must diversify the offense beyond powerhouse outside hitter Reese Duchsherer, who currently carries the bulk of the offensive load with a team-high 108 kills and 81 digs. Getting middle blocker Jordyn Rood (team-best .231 hitting percentage) heavily involved early will be a major key to pulling defenders away from the pins. Defensively, if middle blocker Summer Thomas (21.0 blocks) can anchor the net and libero Piper Harris can maintain her stellar defensive baseline of 4.31 digs per set, the Mystics will possess the necessary blueprint to slow down the Montana attackers and swing the momentum back in their favor.
Scouting Montana Tech
The Montana Tech Orediggers enter the contest on an eight-match winning streak, boasting an overall record of 8-1 after defeating Montana Western on Wednesday night. They present a rigorous defensive and offensive test for the Mystics.
Junior middle blocker Madison Biery is arguably the most dangerous player on the floor. She ranks second in the nation with a .475 hitting percentage and recently broke a program record by hitting .818 in a sweep over Valley City State (N.D.). Biery also anchors the net defense for the Orediggers with a team-high 26.0 blocks.
Halle Moomaw and Payton Treadwell form a potent outside hitting duo. Moomaw paces the squad with 3.16 kills per set on a highly efficient .367 clip, while Treadwell contributes 3.10 kills per set and leads the team in total attempts (257). Setter Rhys Layton serves as the engine driving the second-ranked offense in the NAIA, dishing out 8.00 assists per set to keep opposing defenses off balance. Defensively, Brooklynn Hayes leads the Orediggers in both digs per set (3.81) and service aces (16).
Scouting Montana Western
The Montana Western Bulldogs offer a drastically different test of endurance and grit compared to the high-flying offense of Montana Tech. The Bulldogs (3-7, 2-1 Frontier Conference) enter the weekend motivated to defend their home floor at the Straugh Gymnasium following a hard-fought, four-set loss to Montana Tech on Wednesday night.
Kennedy Lingenfelter is the focal point of the Western attack. The Bulldogs are expected to feed her early and often, as she routinely dictates their offensive volume and is coming off a team-high 11-kill performance against Montana Tech earlier this week. Providing complementary support on the outside pin is Savana Warburton, a dynamic junior outside hitter. Warburton added nine kills in the midweek matchup and thrives at finding gaps in a moving defensive block. Setter Sophie Worden utilizes her athletic hitters effectively in transition to establish an early offensive tempo. Leading the Bulldogs' back-row defense is Madisyn Frazier, who has recorded 118 digs on the year.
See the volleyball schedule for information on how to follow the team during their road trip.
Be sure to visit BSCMystics.com and download the MysticNation app to continue to stay up to date with everything going on in Mystic Athletics.
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