The Bobcat Nation

Nice win today! 3-0 sweep. I only was able to watch the 3rd set, and it was classic Cat Volleyball (from my 5 or 6 match fanhood lol).

Another with Idaho tomorrow on Pluto.

Some interesting notes:

- Previously undefeated Weber loses 1-3 to NAU today. Brings them to 10-1 and makes NAU 9-2 (same record as the Cats). The Cats split with NAU the second week of the season.

- One possible outcome after this week is a 3-way log jam at the top with teams 10-2. That's if NAU and the Cats both win tomorrow.

- I had previously said next week was against Weber but that was incorrect. We play SUU next week in Bozeman and Weber the week after that in Ogden.

- The Cats either go 3-0 (5 times) or 3-2 (5 times). Only once has there been a 4-set match.

Well, exactly according to script: after a 3-0 win yesterday, obviously this one goes to 5 sets. Cats pull off a nail biter and move to 10-2 and sole possession of 2nd place. Play two against .500-ish SUU next week, and finish the year with two against first place Weber (11-1) the following week.

Fantastic season coming together for this team, and all of these matches are on Pluto. It will be nice to get the Cat announcer back next week in Bozeman.

I really know zero about volleyball, but that freshman Ennis Mustang is really good!

CatBot wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 08, 2021 10:29 pm

Well, exactly according to script: after a 3-0 win yesterday, obviously this one goes to 5 sets. Cats pull off a nail biter and move to 10-2 and sole possession of 2nd place. Play two against .500-ish SUU next week, and finish the year with two against first place Weber (11-1) the following week.

Fantastic season coming together for this team, and all of these matches are on Pluto. It will be nice to get the Cat announcer back next week in Bozeman.

This was a fun one to watch — good quality volleyball. It takes a team, but it finally comes down to hitters — if you don’t have a few you won’t be very good. The Bobcats have at least three that are striking the ball with a lot of authority. You can even hear it on the PlutoTV coverage. Blocking well, serving well, digging and passing pretty well. Could we actually be looking at a conference winner? Someone please correct this if I’m wrong, but I don’t think the ‘Cats have ever won the Big Sky and gone on to the NCAA tournament. Even in the golden days of Coach Gantt the league was absolutely dominated by Sacramento, until their coach retired and opened the door.

Bobcat4Ever wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 08, 2021 11:55 pm

CatBot wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 08, 2021 10:29 pm

Well, exactly according to script: after a 3-0 win yesterday, obviously this one goes to 5 sets. Cats pull off a nail biter and move to 10-2 and sole possession of 2nd place. Play two against .500-ish SUU next week, and finish the year with two against first place Weber (11-1) the following week.

Fantastic season coming together for this team, and all of these matches are on Pluto. It will be nice to get the Cat announcer back next week in Bozeman.

This was a fun one to watch — good quality volleyball. It takes a team, but it finally comes down to hitters — if you don’t have a few you won’t be very good. The Bobcats have at least three that are striking the ball with a lot of authority. You can even hear it on the PlutoTV coverage. Blocking well, serving well, digging and passing pretty well. Could we actually be looking at a conference winner? Someone please correct this if I’m wrong, but I don’t think the ‘Cats have ever won the Big Sky and gone on to the NCAA tournament. Even in the golden days of Coach Gantt the league was absolutely dominated by Sacramento, until their coach retired and opened the door.

You are correct, MSU has never won the Big Sky in volleyball. Let's hope this is the year!

BelgradeBobcat wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 08, 2021 10:39 pm

I really know zero about volleyball, but that freshman Ennis Mustang is really good!

Get involved with volleyball, and start learning the game. The players are the same type of high-character kids as we all enjoy on the basketball team. Elite athletes. The best way is to find someone knowledgeable and follow them around. We were very casual followers until my long-time friend’s daughter came to play for the ‘Cats. We started going to every game, and even tagged along on a couple of road trips. What I started to learn, and gain a lot of respect for, were the tactical details of the game. The different offensive and defensive formations, play calling, and on-court signals. The game up close is also extremely physical. Those are tall, strong, young people crushing that ball and showing some great athleticism. This might sound silly, but I compare volleyball to football — for the coach’s offensive and defensive systems, the playbook learning, the technique specific to each position, and the practice it requires to execute at a high-level as a team. Only then do the wins come. Tag in. You’ll be happy you did. If I still lived there I’d be happy to get you started. I thought I had some understanding of volleyball until I went with my friend. I left realizing I knew nothing, nothing at all.

That sucks.

Hope everybody gets healthy and they can keep their momentum going. That's a bummer.

Talked last week to a friend of mine who is a HS VB coach here in NV. She has led teams to countless conference titles, several state championships, and is in the NV Coaches Hall of Fame. I mention this to establish her cred in building good teams. I asked her if one of her teams ever came up against Emma Pence. She said yes and told me Pence made it a very long day for my friend’s girls. When I told her how Pence is at the top of of the BSC in two categories, she wasn’t a bit surprised.

I just finished watching the match at Weber State on PlutoTV. The ‘Cats lost 3-1. That gave Weber their first Big Sky Conference regular season championship, the very thing we were trying to accomplish. We had to win both today and tomorrow to take first place. We can finish either second or third depending on the match tomorrow.

Well done, Coach Jones and team. Now, go win the tournament. You have a great chance.

Cat griz part 2. Lost the first 2 sets and came back to tie it up.

BOBCATS win!

Oops video review reversed point. Now match point for Griz

Crap

Bummer.

Hawks86 wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 26, 2021 9:11 pm

Cat griz part 2. Lost the first 2 sets and came back to tie it up.

Way to fight back, Bobcats!. Sad way to lose the match on a reversed call on a clean block.