Big Sky Conference standings
MISSOULA, Mont. — Sacramento State held a 2-0 lead in sets, and had an 18-15 advantage in the third, but Montana stormed back to win the third frame, and eventually the match, 3-2 (20-25, 26-28, 25-23, 25-23, 15-10), in the Big Sky Conference opener for both teams on Thursday evening at the West Auxiliary Gym.
Sacramento State, which dropped its Big Sky opener for the first time since 2014, fell to 5-10 overall and 0-1 in the Big Sky. The Hornets played last week (three matches) without a true setter because of injuries, but redshirt freshman Ashtin Olin returned from a knee injury to play in tonight's match.
Things were looking good when the Hornets jumped out to a 2-0 lead in sets, and 18-15 in the third. However, Montana immediately responded with a 4-0 run and eventually took the third frame, gaining momentum. Each of the middle three sets were decided by two points as the Hornets saved a set point in the second before winning, and held a 23-22 lead in the third and were tied at 23-23 in the fourth.
The fifth set wasn't particularly close as Montana jumped out to a 5-0 lead and never led by anything less than three points the entire way. The victory allowed the Grizzlies, who were playing at home for the first time since Sept. 1, to improve to 4-9 overall and 1-0 in the conference.
One major problem tonight for the Hornets was service errors. Sacramento State finished with 18, the most by a Hornet squad in recent memory. Sacramento State finished with four service errors in the first set, six in the second set, five more in the third, two in the fourth and one in the fifth. One of the best serving teams in the Big Sky, the Hornets finished with just six aces compared to the 18 errors.
Sacramento State, the defending Big Sky regular season champions, has now lost eight of its last nine matches when playing the Grizzlies in Missoula. Overall, the Hornets have dropped five straight this year, the team's longest losing streak since 2014.
Montana, which hit just .158 in the match, received a match-high 23 kills from Mikaela Hammer. The senior outside hitter had a huge kill at 22-23 of the third set, and had kills at 22-22 and 23-23 of the fourth set. She followed that up with four kills without an error in eight swings in the fifth. In fact, Hammer's four kills in the fifth were one more than the entire Sacramento State team.
Hornet outside hitter and team co-captin Mikaela Nocetti had a big night, finishing with 22 kills (one shy of her career high) to go along with nine digs, three aces and a .281 hitting percentage. Nocetti, who is the third in the Big Sky in kills, is now averaging a team-best 3.79 kills per set. She has posted at least 11 kills in 10 of the last 11 matches, and has tallied 20-plus kills on four occasions this season.
Outside hitter Sarah Davis chipped in 13 kills and rightside hitter Cianna Andrews had 10 kills, six blocks and a .421 hitting percentage. Andrews had 10 kills with just two errors in 19 attacks. No other Hornet had more than five kills. Lana Brown finished with five kills and six blocks, and Brie Gathright had five kills and five blocks.
Sacramento State, which hit .216, but finished with 16 less digs than Montana, saw libero Paige Swinney had a team-high 16 digs. Olin finished with four kills, 51 assists and 11 digs. Skyler Takeda had seven digs.
Sacramento State returns to action on Saturday when it plays Montana State on the road at 6 p.m. PDT. The Bobcats beat Portland State in five sets tonight at home.


November 17, 2018
VOLLEYBALL’S MATCH AGAINST NORTHERN COLORADO IS CANCELED

November 13, 2018
VOLLEYBALL MOVES TO 11-6 IN LEAGUE AFTER ROAD WIN AT PORTLAND STATE

November 10, 2018
VOLLEYBALL FALLS IN FOUR SETS AT IDAHO STATE

November 8, 2018
VOLLEYBALL DROPS 3-1 ROAD DECISION AT WEBER STATE


October 27, 2018
VOLLEYBALL SPLITS ROAD TRIP AFTER THREE-SET SWEEP AT SOUTHERN UTAH

October 25, 2018
WINNING STREAK COMES TO AN END, VOLLEYBALL FALLS AT NORTHERN ARIZONA

October 23, 2018
FIRST-PLACE VOLLEYBALL ON THE ROAD FOR A PAIR THIS WEEK

October 22, 2018
TWO STRAIGHT WEEKS! NOCETTI NAMED BIG SKY PLAYER OF THE WEEK AGAIN

October 20, 2018
VOLLEYBALL WINS FIFTH STRAIGHT, REMAINS IN TIE FOR FIRST PLACE

October 15, 2018
NOCETTI NAMED BIG SKY VOLLEYBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK

October 13, 2018
VOLLEYBALL MOVES INTO FIRST PLACE AFTER SWEEP OF WEBER STATE

October 11, 2018
VOLLEYBALL CONTINUES TO ROLL, SWEEPS IDAHO STATE AT HOME

October 6, 2018
VOLLEYBALL WINS AT EASTERN WASHINGTON, NOW 4-2 IN BIG SKY PLAY

October 4, 2018
VOLLEYBALL’S WINNING STREAK SNAPPED IN 3-1 LOSS AT IDAHO

October 1, 2018
OLIN NAMED BIG SKY OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

September 29, 2018
VOLLEYBALL WINS THIRD STRAIGHT, BEATS NORTHERN ARIZONA IN FIVE SETS

September 27, 2018
VOLLEYBALL’S MATCH TONIGHT VS SOUTHERN UTAH PUSHED BACK TO A 8:00 PM START

September 27, 2018
VOLLEYBALL BEATS SOUTHERN UTAH, WINS 1,000TH MATCH IN PROGRAM HISTORY

September 26, 2018
VOLLEYBALL HOSTS A PAIR OF MATCHES; SEEKS 1,000TH WIN IN PROGRAM HISTORY

September 22, 2018
VOLLEYBALL WINS AT MONTANA STATE; NOCETTI SECURES 1,000TH CAREER KILL

September 18, 2018
VOLLEYBALL OPENS BIG SKY CONFERENCE PLAY THIS WEEK AT THE MONTANA SCHOOLS


September 14, 2018
INJURY RAVAGED VOLLEYBALL PLAYS TOUGH, BUT FALLS TO PORTLAND

September 14, 2018
VOLLEYBALL FALLS TO 13TH-RANKED WASHINGTON

September 10, 2018
SWINNEY NAMED BIG SKY DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK


September 6, 2018
VOLLEYBALL HOSTS THE 4-TEAM SACRAMENTO STATE INVITE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY

September 4, 2018
VOLLEYBALL COMES UP JUST SHORT IN 3-1 HOME LOSS TO UC DAVIS


August 28, 2018
VOLLEYBALL FALLS ON THE ROAD TO SANTA CLARA


August 25, 2018
VOLLEYBALL FALLS IN FOUR SETS TO ARIZONA

August 24, 2018
VOLLEYBALL OPENS SEASON WITH 3-1 VICTORY OVER UTAH STATE

August 8, 2018
VOLLEYBALL SELECTED THIRD IN BIG SKY PRESEASON COACHES POLL