Skylights home for two more

It's fun times for the Montana State University-Northern volleyball team right now. Not only are the Skylights playing well, but they're also playing a lot of matches at home.

And that home stand continues this weekend with two more matches. The Skylights (2-2, 8-10) host nationally ranked Montana Tech tonight at 7 inside the Armory Gymnasium and will also take on Lewis-Clark State Saturday afternoon.

"It's exciting to play matches at home," Northern head coach Rose Obunaga said. "To not have to travel, to be able to get rest, it's really good for the ladies."

The Skylights have certainly taken advantage of their home matches thus far, beating UM-Western two weeks ago, and playing a great match against Carroll College last Friday night. But tonight's match in the Armory will be the biggest challenge the Skylights have faced since Frontier Conference play began.

Montana Tech (4-0, 11-5) comes to Havre as the No. 17 team in the NAIA. The Orediggers are off to an impressive start in Frontier play, and they're loaded with talent across the board. So far this season, the Orediggers have been an offensive machine, averaging 13 kills per set. That's thanks in large part to the likes of Angela Molesworth (6-2, OH), Nicole Peacock (5-11, RS) and Masha Korol (6-2, OH), three tall hitters who can really thump the ball. Senior middle Haley Druyvestein (6-1) is also back, while new setters Tori Chelini (5-9) and Kamalie Moody (5-7) are settling in nicely. Tech will once again be a strong defensive team, as it always is, which means the Orediggers present matchup challenges for every kind of offense in the league.

And while Tech is certainly proficient on both sides of the net, the Skylights have the ability to counter. Northern ranks right in the middle of the Frontier in both kills and in blocks, meaning the Skylights have been very balanced. Offensively, Cassie Krueger is second in the Frontier with 216 kills, while Timi Severson is eighth in the league in hitting percentage. Defensively, Mikayla Virostek has a team-high 42 blocks, while Hannah Amtmann is fifth in the league with 253 digs and Krueger is eighth with another 193 saves.

One thing though, that can hamper Northern, especially against talented teams like Tech, is the Skylights' depth. They're playing with a shorter rotation than most teams, including missing sophomore setter Hailey Warren, who is out with an injury. Obunaga felt like her team got worn down, and that affected serve-receive in last week's loss to Carroll.

"That's something we'll work to improve on before we play Montana Tech," Obunaga said.

Of course, tonight's match is a big one for the Skylights, who are currently fourth in the Frontier Conference standings. But every match is important, and Saturday's will be no less important.

LC State (1-3, 6-9) has been struggling in recent years, but the Warriors, under veteran head coach Latoya Harris-Alexander, always pose a formidable threat, especially with their offensive attack and athleticism. The Warriors have a plethora of talented and athletic players, and they always have depth. Defensively, Luana Thompson (L, 5-6) is an outstanding libero, while Natalie Batiste (5-11) is also an excellent defender. Offensively, the Warriors are relying on some new faces in their attack this season, with Aubrey King (OH, 6-1) and Rachel Gregg (OH, 6-0) really standing out. Transfer Lauren West (5-7) has taken over the setting duties for LCSC.

So while the focus is on Tech tonight, the match against LCSC will be a big one as well, especially considering the Skylights won't play at home again until Oct. 20. Tonight's match between Northern and Tech starts at 7 inside the Armory Gymnasium, while Saturday's home match with LCSC begins at 2 p.m.