Skylights release 2014 volleyball schedule

The Montana State University-Northern volleyball team is heading toward a new season, and with graduation coming in a week, the Skylights, will have a different look in 2014.

But even though the 2013 Frontier Conference regular season champion Skylights are graduating a handful of stars and All-Conference performers, including 2013 Frontier Player of the Year Abby Nicholas, veteran head coach Bill Huebsch will waste little time in testing his new-look squad this fall.

Huebsch recently released the Skylights’ 2014 schedule, and the preseason is full of difficult matches. MSU-N opens the season Aug. 21-23 at the Sports Northwest Travel Invitational where the Skylights a bevy of Cascade Conference powers, including nationally-ranked Eastern Oregon. August also has the Skylights traveling to Bellvue, Neb., where they’ll face even more NAIA powerhouses, while at the Carroll College/Montana Tech Tournament Sept. 5-6, MSU-N will go up against the likes of defending NAIA champion Texas at Brownsville, as well as three California powerhouses.

And though the Skylights could face up to as many as eight different nationally ranked teams at the start of the season, they’ll likely be a Top 25 team themselves to start the year, considering the two-year run they’ve been on. But perhaps more importantly, the first three weeks of the season will prepare MSU-N for the rigors of another tough season in the Frontier.

And the start will be especially tough as MSU-N doesn’t play its home opener until Sept. 19-20 when the Skylights host defending Frontier champion Rocky Mountain College and Carroll College.. Northern opens league play at arch rival Lewis-Clark State Sept. 11 and visits Montana Tech Sept. 13.

The Skylights will be at home much more often in October. UGF comes calling on Oct. 3, followed by Oct. 17-18 matcher against LC State and Tech. Northern closes out its home schedule Halloween night against Westminster College and Nov. 1 against UM-Western. MSU-N ends the regular season Nov. 7 at UGF, then will travel to Butte for the Frontier Conference Tournament Nov. 13-15.

2014 MSU-N

Volleyball

Schedule

Aug. 21-23 at Spokane, Wash.

Aug. 21 vs Evergreen State

Aug. 21 vs Walla Walla

Aug. 22 vs NW University

Aug. 22 vs E. Oregon

Aug. 23 vs Simpson (CA)

Aug. 29-30 at Bellvue, Neb.

Aug. 29 vs Dordt College (IA)

Aug. 29 vs Midland (NE)

Aug. 30 vs Northwestern (IA)

Aug. 30 vs Grand View (IA)

Sept. 5-6 at Carroll/Tech Tournament

Sept. 5 vs Biola (CA)

Sept. 5 vs Cal-Merced

Sept. 6 vs Texas-Brownsville

Sept. 6 vs Concordia-Irvine

Sept. 11 at LC State

Sept. 13 at Montana Tech

Sept. 19 vs Rocky Mountain

Sept. 20 vs Carroll College

Sept. 25 at Westminster

Sept. 27 at UM-Western

Oct. 3 vs Great Falls

Oct. 17 vs LC State

Oct. 18 vs Montana Tech

Oct. 23 at Rocky Mountain

Oct. 25 at Carroll College

Oct. 31 vs Westminster

Nov. 1 vs UM-Western

Nov. 7 at Great Falls

Nov. 13-15 Frontier Tournament

At Butte