Skylights ready to battle more Frontier powers

Being the young team that they are, the Montana State University-Northern Skylights had been focused on just winning one set in Frontier Conference play and taking it from there.

Last Saturday in the Armory Gymnasium, the Skylights did that, and a lot more when they battled Montana Western in a five-set thriller. The match was part of a lengthy home stand the Skylights are on right now, and it continues tonight when Northern hosts Montana Tech in a rematch. The Skylights are also home to face Lewis-Clark State Friday night.

And, like the rest of the Frontier schedule, both matches will be tough, but the Skylights should bring some added confidence and momentum into the matches.

Northern (0-6, 6-13) begins the second half of the Frontier season coming off its best showing of the fall. In the five-set loss to Western, Northern tallied a season-high 56 kills, and offensively, the Skylights hit their best percentage of the season.

Rylee Burmester and Elissa Lind continue to lead the Skylights offensively, with each nearing the 200-kill plateau. However, senior Katia Michelotti has also come on strong as of late, as she has 69 kills to go along with her team-high 31 blocks this season.

Defense has always been Michelotti’s strength, and defense will be something the Skylights need to continue to improve upon as the season moves forward. Middle Tammy Maddock is having a good season for Northern, while Shania Neubauer and freshman libero Katie Murdock have been strong in the back row. Still, the Skylights are last in the Frontier in both blocking and total digs, and with a pair of offensive juggernauts coming to the Armory this weekend, Northern will need to be at a high level on the defensive side of the night.

And make no mistake, tonight’s opponent, Montana Tech, is indeed a juggernaut. The Orediggers (4-3, 19-6) are ranked No. 18 in the NAIA Coaches Poll, and while they slipped last week, they have a three-set sweep of the Skylights already in hand this season.

Tech also has a tall, talented offensive team, one that is tops in the Frontier in kills, second in aces, second in blocks and first in total digs. The Diggers also have individual weapons with the likes of Karina Mickelson and Maureen Jessop among the league leaders in total kills. Defensively, Mickelson also has a league-best 84 blocks, while Sabrina Hopcroft leads the Frontier with 513 total digs.

As much as Northern will have its hands full with the mighty Orediggers tonight, things won’t get any easier when LC State (4-2, 16-8) comes to town Friday night. The Warriors have been on a roll as of late, and are climbing the ranks of the Frontier in what will be their last season of volleyball in the conference.

Like Tech, LCSC is balanced. The Warriors are second in the Frontier in kills and are also the top serving team in the league, with libero Gionni Brown leading the conference with 45 aces this season. LCSC is also tall and tough, especially on the outside with Tori Edwards tallying 248 kills and being among the Top 5 in the Frontier in hitting percentage so far this season.

Yes, both of Northern’s opponents this week will be formidable. However, after having taken the Bulldogs to the limit last Saturday night, the Skylights should be feeling strong as they enter the final stretch of the first season under veteran head coach Jerry Wagner.

“They want it,” Wagner said of his young team. “And they can taste it. We're getting closer to maybe tasting a different result."

The Skylights meet Montana Tech tonight at 7 inside the Armory Gymnasium. Northern’s match against Lewis-Clark State will start at 7 p.m. Friday night.