Westminster spikes Tech

By Bruce Sayler of The Montana Standard - 10/06/2006

Westminster was good enough that Montana Tech knew how the Griffins would attack, and still could not stop them.

No. 23-ranked Westminster went to its outside, to the hitters on the corners, to sweep the Orediggers 30-16, 30-21, 30-23 Thursday night in a Frontier Conference women’s volleyball match in the Montana Tech HPER Complex.

Six-foot-one junior Angie Johnson walloped 16 kills and 6-foot freshman Allison Culp clubbed 14 to lead the Griffins’ 52-kill attack. Both played on the corners, but got good support from Rebeccca Lowe, who registered seven kills rotating into the middle, and rightside hitter Bree Riet, a 5-5 leaper, who blasted five kills.

“They’re nationally ranked and they’re pretty good,” gave Montana Tech head coach Marilyn Tobin. “However, I feel we should have competed against them better than we did tonight. I felt our defense should’ve and could’ve been better. That was from our blocking to our digging.” The Griffins were tabbed in the preseason as the favorites for the Frontier Conference title. And they brought the heat to the gym, rolling out to large leads in the first game. The gap included a 12-3 margin, built on a variety of kills as setter Monica Shorts effectively passed the ball around, and on a handful of Montana Tech errors. The pressure Westminster brought might have been the cause of some of the Orediggers’ miscues.

The Griffins reached game point on an Oredigger passing error, saw the win delayed by a Maria McNeil kill for Montana Tech, then won game one when a bump by the Orediggers’ CoreyAnne Russell carried surprisingly long.

Montana Tech got out in front early in the second game. A Cassie Hodges kill to start the game gave the Orediggers their first lead of the night. Russell aced two consecutive serves, one, a shot that tangled in the net, but flipped to the Griffins’ side, for Montana Tech’s biggest lead, 8-3. Westminster slammed its way back and reached a 9-9 tie when McNeil hit into the net. The teams traded leads before the Griffins took over for good, 14-13, on a Johnson blast.

Riet served the Griffins from 26-20 to game point, on a pair of Montana Tech miscues and a Culp soft shot that fell out of reach of the Orediggers’ defense. Culp then tipped in the winner, which eluded two Orediggers diving to the floor to try to prevent it.

Kristi Witt aced the first serve for a 1-0 Montana Tech lead to launch the third game. After Brittani Barton killed for Westminster to knot the score, the Griffins went ahead to stay when the Orediggers were whistled for a net violation. Westminster built the advantage to 21-9, then survived a Montana Tech rally. Jodi Hogart served a six-point run that featured good play up front by Janet Friesz and Hodges.

A Montana Tech block by McNeil caromed hard and out of bounds to end the streak. Westminster got to game and match point, 29-21, on a block by Culp. Then, after a kill by the Orediggers’ Katie Daly, the Griffins chalked up the win on a kill by Johnson that barely caught the fingertips of a Montana Tech player, officials ruled.

“There was no argument,” Tobin said. “We thought there was touch, too.” Daly’s .417 hitting percentage led Montana Tech. McNeil had 12 kills and Hodges 10. Hogart finished with 28 serves. Shorts posted 40 assists for the Griffins.

“There were times we executed very well,” Tobin said. “But those times were few and far between. The one thing I did like about the game was our team showed some fight in that last game. We mounted a comeback. But when you’re playing catchup, it’s tough to be successful.

“With the matches we have coming up next week, we need to put a whole match together.” The Orediggers finished the first half of conference play with a 3-4 mark. They are 7-12 overall and begin the second half of league play next Wednesday with a home match against Carroll, then will play at Rocky Mountain next Thursday.

Westminster def. Montana Tech 30-16, 30-21, 30-23.

Kills — Westminster 52 (Angie Johnson 16, Allison Culp 14, Rebecca Lowe 7, Bree Riet 5, Fa’alua Lobendahn 4, Monica Shorts 3, Brittani Barton 3), Tech 34 (Maria McNeil 12, Cassie Hodges 10, Katie Daly 6, CoreyAnne Russell 5, Janet Friesz 1). Assists — Westminster 44 (Shorts 40, Lobendahn 3, Tahnie Taylor 1), Tech 31 (Jodi Hogart 28, Hodges 2, Lacie Brenton 1). Aces — Westminster 4 (Riet 1, Culp 1, Shorts 1, Johnson 1), Tech 6 (Kristi Witt 2, Russell 2, Brenton 1, Hogart 1). Digs — Westminster 46 (Taylor 15, Johnson 9, Riet 6, Shorts 6, Culp 5, Deseret Humphreys 2, Lobendahn 1, Whitney Adams 1, Barton 1), Tech 44 (Witt 14, Hogart 11, Brenton 5, Russell 5, McNeil 4, Friesz 2, Hodges 2, Wichman 1). Blocks — Westminster 2 (Riet 1, Culp 1), Tech 4 (Friesz 1.5, Daly 1.5, Hogart .5, Hodges .5).