Huskies Enter Big Sky Territory To Cap Nonconference

THIS WEEK IN HUSKY VOLLEYBALL

#18 Washington vs. North Texas • 9 am PT | Live Stats
#18 Washington at Montana State • 6 pm PT | Live Stats | Live Stream

SATURDAY, SEPT. 17

#18 Washington vs. Boise State • 10 am PT | Live Stats

SEATTLE — The final week of nonconference play takes the Huskies east into Big Sky country, specifically Bozeman, Montana where the Dawgs will take part in the Bobcat Invitational. Hosted by Montana State, the tournament will also feature Boise State and North Texas, held at the Shroyer Gymnasium.

Washington (5-2) plays its final double-header of the season to start things off on Friday, Sept. 16, first taking on the North Texas Mean Green at 9 a.m. Pacific time, and then coming back that evening to play the host Bobcats at 6 p.m. Pacific. The next day, Washington plays Boise State in another early start at 10 a.m. Pacific. Out of the three matches, only the UW vs. Montana State match will be live streamed, via ESPN+

The Huskies, currently ranked 18th coming off a 2-1 week at home, will look to carry some momentum into next week’s Pac-12 opener, when UW starts its title defense with a huge home match against Washington State on Sept. 21. To do so they’ll have to get past the three upset-minded opponents in Bozeman.

Last year, the Bobcats pushed the Huskies to five sets in Seattle before UW prevailed. Montana State is 3-6 thus far, but four of those losses have come in five sets. Courtney Weatherby leads the team with 2.36 kills per set and 14 aces. 

North Texas is coming off another top-25 battle, falling to Baylor in straight sets in its last outing. The Mean Green is 5-7, and also had a 3-1 loss to the Pac-12’s Oregon State. Treyaunna Rush leads teh team with 3.84 kills per set, hitting .248. Sh’Diamond Holly is averaging 1.23 blocks per set plus 1.95 kills/set hitting .370.

Boise State is off to a 7-1 start with two big wins over Saint Mary’s and another over Notre Dame. Its only loss was on the road at Long Beach State. Paige Bartsch and Allison Casillas are the current Mountain West Conference Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week. Bartsch hit .315 last week with a team-high 68 kills over four matches. Casillas, the Broncos libero, had 45 digs last week.