Skylight spikers return to the court with a visit to RMC

If it seems like an eternity since the Montana State University-Northern volleyball team has played a Frontier Conference match, that’s because two weeks can feel like one.

Northern last played Oct. 8, a four-set loss to UM-Western in the Armory Gymnasium. And since that time, head coach Bill Huebsch and his team has rested and worked to get ready for the stretch run of the season. And the stretch run begins now.

Tonight, the Skylights (3-4, 4-12) return to conference play when they travel to Rocky Mountain College for a match with the Battlin’ Bears (4-3, 10-13). And though tonight’s match is the only one of the week for the Skylights, it will be key in getting Northern off on the right foot as the Skylights gear up for the postseason.

Northern, which swept Rocky to open conference play last month in Havre, is also in position to still make a run, at the least, at the top half of the Frontier standings. MSU-N sits fifth place in the league standings but is just a game behind RMC and UM-Western, the two teams tied for second behind Carroll College. And, with three of their last five matches at home, the Skylights have a chance to make up a lot of ground.

To do that, Northern will continue to rely on its heavy hitters. Cassie Krueger has 188 kills, while freshman Timi Severson has 155 and is second in the Frontier in hitting percentage at .324 for the season. Jillian Nickens, Haley Yoder and Cydney Auzenne also have 70 or more kills each this season, while Emily Russell gets things going for the offense with 525 assists on the year.

Defensively, Yoder has 27 blocks and Severson has 22 to pace the Skylights, while in the back row, freshman libero Hannah Amtmann leads the team with 242 digs. Jacy Vining has 116 digs, while Auzenne, Russell and Yoder are all in double figures in service aces.

Tonight’s match starts a two-game road trip for the Skylights, who also visit UGF next Thursday. Then, MSU-N gets to play in the Armory Gymnasium for the remainder of the season. Northern finishes with home matches against Carroll College next Friday, Lewis-Clark State Nov. 4 and Montana Tech Nov. 5.

The match between MSU-N and RMC will start tonight at 7 inside the Fortin Center in Billings.