MSU-N spikers host preseason tourney

After a week off, the Montana State University-Northern Skylights return to preseason volleyball play. But this won't be any ordinary preseason tournament for Northern.

Instead, for the second season in a row, the Skylights get to host a tournament inside the Armory Gymnasium, as they welcome in teams from North Dakota and the Frontier Conference Friday and Saturday for the Frontier-North Star Conference Challenge.

The tournament will consist of the Skylights, as well as Montana Western, Dickinson State, Valley City State, Presentation and Mayville State.

Northern and Western will play each of the North Star schools during the tourney, which kicks off Friday morning.

Northern, which is 4-1 on the young season, had a bye week last week, but has already beaten Valley City this season, as well as several NAIA powers two weeks ago in Arizona.

Now, the Skylights will look to improve even more as conference play nears.

Behind the play of Alana Graves, Alyssa Pretty Weak and Jessa Chvilicek, as well as now-veteran setter Emily Feller, the Northern offense is off to a good start. Defensively, the Skylights are also playing well, especially with so much experience in the back row.

Of course, as the season progresses, things get tougher, and this weekend is no different.

Northern opens the tournament against Mayville State at Noon Friday. They are 5-4 on the season. MSU-N then takes on a Presentation College squad at 6 p.m. Friday to close out the first day. Saturday, the Skylights have a rematch with Valley City, who they beat to open the season, before closing out the tourney against Dickinson State at 3:30 p.m. Saturday. The Blue Hawks are 2-7 this season, but will be a tough opponent as they always are.

And yet, Northern may be the toughest team in this weekend's Frontier/North Star Challenge as head coach Jerry Wagner's team is off to its best start inn many years.

The tournament begins Friday and runs through Saturday afternoon at the Armory Gymnasium. The Skylights close out preseason play next weekend in Helena.