Skylights gain more votes in NAIA poll

The goal for the Montana State University-Northern volleyball team is to take care of business at home. But opening up with rival, and NAIA power Carroll College doesn’t make that goal easy.

However, the Skylights did in fact make it look easy as they defeated the Fighting Saints in four sets last Friday night at the Armory Gymnasium. With the win came an early 1-0 start to conference play, as well as Frontier Conference Player of the Week honors for senior hitter Abby Nicholas – her second such award this season.

Northern also rose a couple of spots in the new NAIA Coaches Poll, released Tuesday afternoon. The Skylights received 14 votes this week, and are one of only two Frontier teams rated. Rocky Mountain College moved up one spot to No. 24 this week, and that’s exactly where the Skylights are headed, for an early-season showdown with the Battlin’ Bears Thursday night in Billings.

In the newest Frontier Power Poll, the Skylights (11-4, 1-0) come in at No. 2 behind the Bears. Lewis-Clark State is third and Westminster is fourth. Carroll dropped from third to fifth in the most recent ratings, while Montana Tech, UM-Western, Great Falls and Dickinson State round out the poll.

Northern is on a two-match road trip this week. Following Thursday night’s match in Billings, the Skylights travel to DSU on Saturday. MSU-N is home to face UM-Western next Thursday and Westminster next Saturday.

NAIA Coaches Poll

Rn. Prv. Rec. Pts.

1 1 Concordia (Calif.) (21) 8-0 622

2 2 Texas at Brownsville (1) 9-0 602

3 4 Biola (Calif.) 9-0 582

4 6 Madonna (Mich.) 15-0 546

5 8 Midland (Neb.) 19-0 535

6 3 Columbia (Mo.) 6-2 521

7 5 MidAmerica Nazarene 12-1 510

8 7 Georgetown (Ky.) 11-1 494

9 9 Westmont (Calif.) 12-0 467

10 10 Oklahoma Baptist 9-3 429

11 12 Northwestern (Iowa) 16-1 426

12 11 Park (Mo.) 12-2 410

13 15 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 13-0 364

14 16 Eastern Oregon 13-2 343

T15 14 Embry-Riddle (Fla.) 6-5 336

T15 17 Bellevue (Neb.) 13-3 336

17 13 Viterbo (Wis.) 16-3 321

18 18 Missouri Baptist 11-1 267

19 19 Vanguard (Calif.) 11-0 264

20 21 Dordt (Iowa) 9-2 235

21 23 Concordia (Ore.) 10-2 227

22 22 The Master's (Calif.) 10-2 185

23 24 Wayland Baptist 12-2 182

24 25 Rocky Mountain 9-2 129

25 RV Hastings (Neb.) 10-5 116

Others receiving votes: Davenport (Mich.) 93; Spring Hill (Ala.) 58; Bethel (Ind.) 58; Bryan (Tenn.) 55; Grand View (Iowa) 43; Cal State San Marcos 36; Tabor (Kan.) 31; Indiana Wesleyan 25; Jamestown (N.D.) 22; Menlo (Calif.) 19; Montana State-Northern 14; Evangel (Mo.) 8; Point Park (Pa.) 3.