Skylights look to keep getting better in the desert

It's just week two of the 2021 Montana State University-Northern volleyball season, but already the Skylights have ventured far away from home.

Last weekend, Northern opened its 2021 campaign with four matches at the Embry-Riddle Tournament, and now the Skylights return to Arizona for the Arizona Christian Tournament, and more.

Northern, which went 1-3 to open the season last week, played a pair of matches against Park University in Gilbert, Arizona on Wednesday, and will now turn its attention to the tournament at ACU.

In Glendale, the Skylights face ERAU for the second week in a row. Northern fell to the Eagles last week in a five-set thriller. Also on Friday, the Skylights will battle host ACU. Then, on Saturday, Northern turns its attention to former Frontier Conference rival Lewis-Clark State, before wrapping up thew Arizona trip with a match against Valley City State.

All four matches in Arizona will be tough, especially ERAU, which is ranked in the NAIA Top 25 Preseason Coaches Poll.

Of course, tough matches are exactly what Skylight’s head coach Jerry Wagner is looking for.

With a veteran team, led by seniors Rylee Burmester, Elissa Lind and Shania Neubauer, the Skylights are looking to make a big jump in the Frontier Conference standings this fall. And they certainly have the roster to do it, as Abi Ellison, Alana Graves Emily Feller and Marlee Bender give Northern even more experience to work with.

Northern will also benefit from the tough non-conference schedule its playing. The Skylight’s preseason also includes the North Star Challenge, which will put them against four Dakota schools next week, as well hosting the first-ever Frontier Preseason Tournament in Havre Sept. 17-18. All of those matches will certainly prep the Skylights for the rigors of Frontier play.

And that preparation continues this weekend with the four matches at the Arizona Christian Tournament. Northern faces ERAU Friday at 10 a.m. and ACU at 4 p.m. Saturday, the Skylights play old foe LCSC at 10 a.m. and finishes the tourney against Valley City State at 4 p.m.