Sept. 8, 2009

Match Notes: Utah State and Wolverine Invitational

Pocatello, ID--The Bengals (4-2) come off a third place finish at the ASU Sheraton Classic hosted by the Sun Devils where the Bengals posted a straight set victory over Charleston Southern. Idaho State will play three matches in the upcoming week as they take on Utah State (2-2) on the road on Wednesday, September 9 at 7 p.m. before heading to the Wolverine Invitational where the Bengals will play USC (5-1), who is ranked 16th in the Bison/AVCA Division I Coaches Poll, and Utah Valley (4-2). ISU will play USC on Friday, September 11 at 1 p.m. before taking on tournament host Utah Valley on Saturday, September 12 at 7 p.m. at the Shurian Family Activity Center in Orem, Utah. Live stats will be available at www.utahstateaggies.com and www.wolverinegreen.com on gametracker depending on the host.

The Bengals average 12.5 kills as a team, 1.75 blocks, 1.80 aces and 12.8 digs per set. ISU is ranked fourth best in kills and first in aces per set in the Big Sky. Last week Haylee Thompson was named to the ASU Sheraton Classic All-Tournament Team to become ISU's fourth player this season named to an All-Tournament Team joining Karissa Legaux, Jaclyn Hone and UniWyo Cowgirl tournament MVP Emily Waldron. All players earned their first team honors as Bengals season.

Idaho State is at the top of numerous conference lists. They are the team leader in service aces per set with 1.80. Britta Bartschi-Rhodehouse is tied for the lead in service aces per set in the Big Sky Conference averaging 0.50, she shares the lead with Eastern Washington's JaNae Mortensen. Bartschi-Rhodehouse leads the Conference with five aces in a four set match against South Dakota State. As a team Idaho State posted 12 service aces against South Dakota State to lead the conference for four set matches. Idaho State also leads the Big Sky Conference in holding its opponents to a low hitting percentage as they post a .151 attack percentage. The Bengals themselves holds a .205 hitting percentage, the third best in conference.

Senior Waldron is just 18 points away from recording 1,000 career points. She will be the 14th Bengal since 1985 to achieve the feat. Waldron currently averages 2.8 kills, 0.25 service aces and 0.30 blocks per set. She has posted 848 kills, 89 service aces and six solo and 78 block assists to reach the 982 points she currently possesses. The last player to earn 1,000 career points was Nikki Randall-Havens who ended her career with 1,242 in 2006.

Utah State currently post a 2-2 record and will play Utah on Tuesday, September 8th before hosting the Bengals on Wednesday. Utah State opened the season with a 3-1 victory over Weber State before dropping two straight, a 3-2 contest to Gonzaga and a 3-1 loss to Utah Valley. USU rallied against Brigham Young posting a 3-2 victory at home in its season opener.

Idaho State leads Utah State 28-20 capturing the last match 3-1 on November 4th in 2006 at Reed Gym. ISU had dropped six contests, one each year, prior to their 2006 meeting pushing ISU's second to last victory back to October 27, 1998 at Reed Gym. When they competed in 2000 Utah State was ranked #22, they did not compete in 2002.

USC, who is ranked 16th in the Bison/AVCA Division I Coaches Poll, is on a five-match winning streak where they posted straight-set victories over North Carolina, Albany, Florida Gulf Coast, #21 Pepperdine and Northern Arizona. USC thrashed #21 Pepperdine 25-15, 25-18, 25-18 at home.

USC leads the series 1-0 as the Trojans defeated Idaho State 2-0 (15-8, 15-3) on September 16, 1983 at Cal State Fullerton in a tournament. It has been 26 years since the teams have competed against each other.

Utah Valley is coming off a two-match losing streak after falling to Missouri 3-1 and Washington State 3-0. However, UVU is a solid team as they defeated #17 Utah at home 3-1 in its home opener. UVU also defeated the Big Sky's Weber State 3-0 for its only straight set victory. Utah Valley is coached by Sam Atoa who posts a 99-74 record over his seven years with the Wolverines. Atoa's next victory will he his 100th at Utah Valley.

Utah Valley leads the series 4-3. The last meeting was a 3-1 victory last year for the Bengals at home on October 14 where the Bengals dropped the first set. UVU defeated Idaho State earlier that season 3-0 in their Utah Valley Invitational tournament on September 13 at the Shurian Family Activity Center.