Argos next up for streaking Skylights

The halfway point in the Frontier Conference volleyball season arrives tonight for the Montana State University-Northern Skylights. And all that stands between them and a perfect first half are the Great Falls Argos.

Tonight, Northern (7-0, 16-4) hosts the rival Argos (2-4, 7-13) at 7 inside the Armory Gymnasium. It’s the first of two straight meetings between the two teams, as Northern will travel to UGF next Thursday.

And while Northern is continuing to surge, coming off tough road wins over Montana Tech and Carroll College last weekend, and the Argos haven’t quite gotten off to the start they’re used to, MSU-N head coach Bill Huebsch said tonight’s match will be another big challenge for the Skylights. In 2012, UGF was the only Frontier team to beat the Skylights in Havre.

“I think, this year, UGF is still kind of trying to find an identity,” Huebsch said. “They have some new players and they lost one of the best they’ve ever had in Kelsey Van Uden from last year. But they are still talented and Arunas (Duda) will coach them up. They are a team I see getting better and better as the season goes on.

“And I think we’ve learned we just can’t overlook anyone, or take anyone lightly,” he added. “I felt like we learned that in our match with Western, and the girls know that they just can’t go into a match like that again. I think they know UGF is going to be a handful.”

The Argos won’t just be a handful because of talent, size and depth, all strengths for UGF. They’ll also be a handful because matches with the Skylights seem to always be nail biters in Havre. Case in point, last season’s five-set thriller which UGF pulled off and got out of the Armory with a win.

But talent will also play a role, and despite their slow start, the Argos have plenty of it. Freshman outside hitter Maddie Wilhelm (6-2) has had an instant impact on UGF’s offense. She has totaled a team-high 163 kills on the season, and she adds to UGF’s tall presence at the net. Veteran Alyssa McEwan (6-1) has 107 kills to go along with 57 blocks. And then there’s 6-5 middle blocker Becky Kershner. She’s the tallest player in the Frontier, and she could give Northern’s offense fits in the middle. UGF also has a veteran setter in 6-0 senior Averi Pasma, and she can also present a challenge defensively with her blocking.

“They (Argos) do have a lot of height at the net,” Huebsch said. “They also have talent, and they’ve done a really nice job in recruiting. They’ve got good depth, and again, I don’t think their record reflects what kind of team they are. I would say they are the best 2-4 team in any conference in the country right now.”

And that means Northern will once again need to be sharp in order to defend its home floor, as well as keep its one-match lead in the Frontier standings. But so far, being sharp hasn’t been a problem for Northern. Whether it’s blowout wins over Rocky Mountain College and Dickinson State, or the way the Skylights were pushed in a five-set thriller last Saturday at Carroll, Northern is on a roll, and playing at home, the Skylights have a chance to be the only unbeaten Frontier team at the halfway point.

“Being tested the way we were at Tech and Carroll was really good for us,” Huebsch said. “Those were both tough matches, and we played well. We were really composed and our maturity really showed through in those wins.”

Maturity is a huge reason why the Skylights are where they are heading into tonight’s showdown with the Argos. But talent and execution is also carrying Northern. As a team, the Skylights lead the Frontier in kills, hitting percentage and assists, and defensively, Northern is fourth in the league in digs.

Individually, Abby Nicholas and Kelsey Williams continue to dominate opposing defenses. Nicholas has a remarkable 312 kills, which is tops in the Frontier, to go along with 46 blocks and well over 100 digs. Williams is right behind her teammate in kills with 283, while Joni Nagy leads the league in assists with 799, almost 200 more than the second-best setter in the conference. Holly Cartwright is fourth in the Frontier with 330 digs while Nagy is 15th with 200. Freshman Sydney Stolearcius has also come on strong defensively for the Skylights.

However, stats only take a team so far. Momentum is also a key factor in volleyball, and for over a month now, the Skylights have had plenty of momentum. Northern hopes that trend continues tonight.

“It will be a tough match,” Huebsch said. “I think UGF will come in here and give us everything they have. They always do. We have to be ready to match that. We are playing well, we have a lot of confidence right now, but we also understand we have to be ready to go every single night in this league, because anybody is capable of beating anybody, and UGF is no exception to that.”

Tonight’s match between the Skylights and Argos will start at 7 inside the Armory Gymnasium. The two bitter rivals will meet again next Thursday at the McLaughlin Center in Great Falls.