MSU Volleyball sets for success this season

Getting back into the swing of things is a common mindset for many college students this time of year. However, the MSU women's volleyball team isn’t just looking to get back into the swing of things — they’re looking to pick up where they left off and build upon the success of last season.

Last season, the team finished with a record of 24-9 and appeared in the first Big Sky Conference title match in program history. Second-year Head Coach Matt Houk looks to guide his team to another strong campaign.

“We did lots of things well [last season],” Houk said. “Both athletes and coaches want to leverage our experience.” According to him, the team's lack of experience was a factor in the loss to Weber State in the Big Sky Conference title match last season. 

This year, the Bobcats look to build some early momentum after a 1-1 start in the Blackridge Invitational this past weekend. In their first match against Washington, the Bobcats kept it close, but ultimately fell 3-1 in sets against the Huskies, led by seniors Madi Endsley and Kiune Fletcher with 16 kills apiece. However, the Bobcats bounced back against Middle Tennessee State — in part due to a strong blocking effort spearheaded by Camryn Greenwald with 11 kills and nine blocks — and Jourdain Kamps with 11 kills and eight blocks.

This is the second season in which the Bobcats opened non-conference play by hosting the Blackridge Invitational. The matches offer a good opportunity for both the players and coaches to find their footing and win games early on.

Since volleyball is a fast-paced game by nature, especially early in the year, their success will often come down to a few crucial in-game adjustments. 

“Adjustments are really important,” Houk said. “Early on, we don’t have info on the other teams and you can never know what it’ll look like. It really comes down to how we’re performing that night, how we’re blocking, defending, who we want to set, when to hit, personnel changes,” he explained. “I try to remind the players to stay in the moment.”

Houk explained that he recognized there is a learning curve for both the athletes and the coaching staff at the beginning of a season. That makes the first few matches, although against non-conference opponents, a great test for any volleyball team looking to be a contender.

“We hope to look at the non-conference matches and learn about who we are. We want to be well-prepped to take on the conference part of the season,” Houk said. His emphasis on preparation for the conference matches this season isn’t just important for the Bobcats — it will directly determine their seeding in the Big Sky Tournament in November.

Although being the first MSU women’s volleyball team to win the Big Sky Conference is a lofty goal, Houk expressed confidence in the team this season. The Bobcats have every reason to feel good this year, as the team returned 11 of last year’s players, on top of a group of talented incoming freshmen and returning redshirt athletes.

“Our three words; grit, tough and brave, represent how we want to play volleyball this season, and we really want to try and be consistent throughout the season as well,” Houk said. As the Bobcats pursue another berth in the Big Sky Conference title match this Nov. 27 to 30, they will have to try and recapture some of the magic from last season.

“We’re just trying to be better every day so that we can achieve the things we want to achieve,” he said.