December 2004

Frontier All-Conference Teammates
Thursday, December 9 2004
Two University of Montana-Western volleyball players were named to the
Frontier Conference All-Conference Volleyball team.

 
Katherine SunwallKatherine Sunwall, a 6-0 junior middle blocker from Great Falls, was
named to the first team. Sunwall won the conference blocking title
(1.62 blocks per game). She finished second in the league in kills
(3.93 per game) and third in attack percentage (.310). Sunwall was also
selected to the All-Region team. and earned Academic All-Conference and All-American honors
Lindsey ScottLindsey Scott, a 5-6 junior setter from Dillon, earned Honorable
Mention honors. Scott finished fourth in the conference in assists with
7.97 assists per game.
Academic All-Conference honors


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Volleyball Closes Out Regular Season
Tuesday, December 7 2004
The University of Montana-Western volleyball team closed the regular season with road matches at MSU-Northern on Friday, November 5 and the University of Great Falls on Saturday, November 6.

The Lady Bulldogs are 5-7 in Frontier Conference play and 10-14 overall entering the weekend. Last weekend, Western lost to Montana Tech 3-1 and came from behind to defeat Lewis-Clark State 3-2.

Northern is 11-14 overall and 6-6 in league play. Last week, the Skylights edged Great Falls 3-2. Western and Northern have faced each other twice this season, once in non-conference tournament and once in league action with Northern winning both matches.


“Both matches with Northern were close and hard fought,” said Western coach Jenny Peterson. “They are a very aggressive team that serves the ball very well. We will have to play error free volleyball. That was the difference in the previous matches, we just made too many mistakes.”

Katherine Sunwall leads the team and is second in the Frontier in kills and hitting percentage with 3.83 kills a game and a hitting percentage of .301. Sunwall leads the league in blocks with 1.64 per game.

Kendall Bradley leads Western and is seventh in the league in digs with 2.77 per game.

Saturday, Western travels to Great Falls to close out the regular season.

The Frontier Conference tournament is November 12 and 13 in Butte.


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Lady Bulldogs Open 2004 Season
Tuesday, December 7 2004
What a season the 2003 season was for The University of Montana-Western Lady Bulldog volleyball team. After the first month, Western had won only four of sixteen matches. Prospects of another winning season were quickly fading away.

A home conference win over Lewis-Clark State ended the losing and started a mid-season comeback that carried the Lady Bulldogs to a 10-4 league mark and a third place finish in the Frontier Conference.

The 2003 season ended on a disappointing note for Western as they were upset by MSU-Northern in the first round of the league playoffs. The Lady Bulldogs ended the season with a 16-16 overall record.

"I had faith in them from the start," said head coach Jenny Peterson. "It took a little longer than I expected. We had talented and experienced players returning and a good group of incoming freshmen. They just had to have the time to play together and find that team chemistry necessary to win. It all came together the second half of the season. Our younger players got a lot of playing experience last season, and that experience will be a big asset for this year."

Gone from the Lady Bulldog roster are three very familiar faces in Emily Smith, Amy Smith and Kasey Smith. Emily and Kasey were both All-Conference and All-Region selectees and all three were three year starters for Western.

"We are really going to miss those three," noted Peterson. "They were a big part of our success the last few years, and they left big shoes to fill!"

Peterson will build the 2004 team around six juniors, two sophomores, and four freshman.

"We won't have a senior on the team," added Peterson. "So we will look to our juniors to guide the team. They have had plenty of experience so that have what it takes to lead us.

The Lady Bulldogs' junior class is led by Katherine Sunwall (6-1) of Great Falls, a first team All-Conference selection last season. Sunwall led the Frontier Conference in blocks with 1.54 per game. She was second on the team to Kasey Smith in both hitting percentage and kills per game. Lindsey Scott (5-6) of Dillon returns at one setter position. Casey Barry of Helena moves from outside hitter to the back row as a defensive specialist and versatile Kendell Bradley (5-9) of Twin Bridges returns at outside hitter. Bradley was third on the team in digs with 231. Jeni Ramondelli (5-7) of Troy moves into Libro position. Add to the mix, junior college transfer Shannon O'Keefe (5-9) of Missoula, who spent two years at Southwest Oregon, the same junior college that produced Emily Carroll, an All-Conference outside hitter for the Lady Bulldogs several years ago. O'Keefe should fit very well in the middle blocker position.

Sophomores Jenny Finlay (5-11) of Riverton, Utah and Rachel Bulcher (5-11) of Hansen, Idaho both had outstanding seasons as freshmen a year ago. Both were named to the league's All-Freshmen team. Finlay will play at outside hitter and Bulcher will be one of the two right-side hitters used in Western's two setter offense.

Peterson is pleased with the 2004 freshmen class. Jenna Hayes (5-6) of Bonners Ferry, Idaho was a highly recruited player who will join Lindsey Scott as the other setter in the two-setter offense. Stephanie Mee (5-11) of Kalispell looks to be the other right side hitter. Beth Weidow (5-10) of Corvallis and Nicole Clark (5-9) of Kalispell have the talent to play either middle or at outside hitter but easily move into the right side if needed.

"I donąt look at this season as a rebuilding season," said Peterson. "I look at it as a season where we take the first couple of weeks to get to know each other and gel that way. That is why we chose to play in the closer tournaments. We can get a lot of matches without traveling that far. I have a great feeling for the upcoming years. My returning players did a great job this spring, they worked hard and it showed with the improvement to their game. I think the new players are just going to add to that and make us just that much better."
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Western Volleyball Inks Kalispell Star
Tuesday, December 7 2004
June 28, 2004 -- Nicole Clark, a 5-9 middle blocker from Kalispell, has signed a Frontier Conference/NAIA letter of intent to play volleyball for the University of Montana-Western, according to head coach Jenny Peterson. She is a 2004 graduate of Flathead Valley Christian School.

In her senior season, Clark had 175 kills, 104 blocks, 56 digs, and a passing percentage of 89%. She was team captain and a first team All-State selection in both her junior and senior seasons.

"Nicole is a great person to have in our program," said Peterson. "She is an outstanding athlete who is capable of playing middle or outside. That versatility can only make our team better. Nicole is also a 4.0 student. It means a lot to our program to sign great student-athletes. We are looking forward to having Nicole at UM-Western and being a part of our program."

Clark was her class Valedictorian and a member of the National Honor Society. She was the recipient of an Academic Excellence Award, Exceptional Effort Award and Distinguished Christian High School Student Award.

She is the daughter of Dan and Valerie Clark and plans to major in business at Western.

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Missoula Volleyball Standout Signs with UM - Western
Tuesday, December 7 2004
May 18, 2004 -- Shannon O'Keefe, a 5-9, outside hitter/middle blocker from Missoula, has signed an NAIA/Frontier Conference letter of intent to play volleyball for the University of Montana-Western, according to head coach Jenny Peterson.

O'Keefe is a 2002 graduate of Missoula Sentinel High School and a 2004 graduate of Southwestern Oregon Community College of Coos Bay, Oregon.

In high school, she earned All-Conference honors and was named Sentinel's Best Hitter, Best Blocker and Most Valuable Player. At SWOCC, she was named the Laker's Most Improved Player. In her sophomore season at Southwestern Oregon, she had 154 kills, 161 digs, 15 solo blocks and 26 assisted blocks.

"Shannon is an outstanding athlete who has a very good work ethic," said Peterson. "She does very well in the classroom as well. Shannon will fit into our program very well. She brings with her, junior college experience, which will make her a big contributor to our program. We are very fortunate that Shannon chose Western to further her education."

From the classroom, she maintains a 3.8 GPA and earned Academic All-American honors. O'Keefe plans to major in education at Western.

She is the daughter of Barbara and Dennis O'Keefe. Her older brother Casey is a graduate of Western and was a member of the Bulldog basketball team for two seasons.
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Volleyball Star from Kalispell Signs with Western
Tuesday, December 7 2004
April 6, 2004 -- Steph Mee, a 5-11 right side hitter from Kalispell has signed a Frontier Conference/NAIA letter of intent to play volleyball for the University of Montana-Western, according to head coach Jenny Peterson.

Mee earned All-Conference honors as a hitter and All-State honors as a setter in 2003. Her senior stats included 129 digs, 139 kills, 252 assists, 27 aces and a 91% serving percentage.

"We are very excited that Steph chose to play at UM-Western," said Peterson. "She is an outstanding athlete with a great all-around game. I was fortunate to be able to play volleyball in college with her mother Patti, and now I'm fortunate to have Steph as a player. With her athleticism, work ethic and competitiveness, she will fit into our program very well."

In addition to volleyball, she also competed in basketball and track. In the classroom, Mee maintains a 3.0 GPA.

She will graduate this Spring from Flathead County High School and plans to major in elementary education at Western. She is the daughter of Patti Franklin-Norby and John Mee.
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Corvallis Volleyball Star Signs with Lady Bulldogs
Tuesday, December 7 2004
March 30, 2004 -- Beth Weidow, a 5-10 outside hitter/middle blocker from Pinesdale has signed an NAIA-Frontier Conference letter of intent to play volleyball for the University of Montana-Western, according to head coach Jenny Peterson. Weidow will graduate this Spring from Corvallis High School.

She earned All-Conference and All-State honors. In her senior season, she recorded 212 kills with a .300 hitting percentage. Weidow had 86 digs and 76 blocks (44 solo, 32 assisted).

"Beth is a great addition to our program and we are very fortunate that she chose Western to further her education," said Peterson. "Not only is she a great athlete and a real competitor, Beth is an outstanding student. We are looking for great things from Beth on the court as well as in the classroom."

Weidow maintains a 3.93 GPA and received Academic All-State honors. Other academic awards include Top Algebra Student, Excellence in Business Computers, Excellence in Academics and Citizenship, an Horatio Alger Scholarship, and was selected to Who's Who in American High School Students.

In addition to volleyball, she also participated in basketball and softball.

Weidow is undecided on her major at Western. She is the daughter of Ted and Eileen Weidow.
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Great Weekend for Lady Bulldog Spikers
Tuesday, December 7 2004
October 20, 2003 -- Western jumped right back into the Frontier Conference race with a pair of home wins. On Friday, the Lady Bulldogs downed Carroll College 25-30, 30-25, 26-30, 30-26, 15-11. Carroll was ranked 22 in the nation. Katherine Sunwall led Western with 20 kills followed by Emily Smith with 14 and Kasey Smith with 13. Defensively, Amy Smith had 27 digs followed by Kendall Bradley with 19. Kasey Smith had one solo block and five assisted blocks.

On Saturday night, the Lady Bulldogs downed Rocky Mountain College 30-27, 30-25, 28-30 and 30-24. The pair of wins raises Western's record to 12-14 overall and 6-3 in the league.

Four players scored double digits kills for the Lady 'Dawgs' led by Emily Smith and Kasey Smith with 12 each. Rachel Bucher and Katherine Sunwall had ten each. Kendall Bradley had 15 digs followed by Amy Smith with 14 and Emily Smith with 11.

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Western Volleyball Begins Second Half of Conference Season with Two Home Matches
Tuesday, December 7 2004
October 17, 2003 -- The University of Montana-Western Lady Bulldog volleyball team opens the second half of the conference season with home matches against Carroll College and Rocky Mountain College.

On Friday, October 17, Western hosts Carroll at 7:00 pm and on Saturday, October 18, the Lady Bulldogs host Rocky at 5:00 pm. Both matches in the Straugh Gymnasium.

Western is 10-14 overall and 4-3 in league play after finishing 3-3 in matches in Utah and Idaho last weekend. Carroll is 6-1 in conference play and 15-6 overall. The two teams have played each other twice this season. In a non-conference match in late August, the Lady Saints won 28 30, 30-27, 30-16, 30-22. In the first conference match, Carroll won in Helena 30-23, 24-30, 30-24, 30-28.

Western and Rocky have met only once, in the first week of the conference season, the Lady Bears won in Billings 30-26, 30-21, and 30 23. Rocky is 13-12 overall and 4-3 in the conference.

"I have seen a lot of improvement in our team since the conference season started," said Western head coach Jenny Peterson. "Our passing has got much better and our defensive play has really improved. We will have to do everything right against both Rocky and Carroll. They are very good teams and like us, they have improved since the conference season began. We will have to cut down mistakes, make our passes and play good defense."
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More Volleyball Action
Tuesday, December 7 2004
October 15, 2003 -- The Lady Bulldogs capped a week road trip through Utah and Idaho with a 3-3 record. Western lost to Utah Valley 17-30, 30-32, 26-30. Kasey Smith, Emily Smith and Katherine Sunwall led the way with ten kills each.

Western beat Westminster 30-12, 30-13, 30-19 in conference play. Kasey Smith led the way with ten kills followed by Rachel Bulcher with nine. Kendell Bradley led the defense with seven digs.

At Blocktoberfest in Caldwell, Idaho, the Lady Bulldogs opened the tourney with a 30-23, 30-22, 30-27 win over the University of Victoria. Later in the day, Western lost to College of Southern Idaho 27-30, 17-30 and 12-30. Katherine Sunwall led the Lady Bulldogs with eight kills. Bradley led the defense with 12 digs.

On day two, the Lady Bulldogs fell to conference rival Montana Tech in a non-conference match 24-30, 30-24, 24-30, 25-30. Emily Smith led the attack with 15 kills while Kendall Bradley led the defense with 19 digs.

Western closed the tourney with a 30-25, 30-24, 16-30, 30-25 win over Albertson College. Kasey Smith led Western with 12 kills followed by Katherine Sunwall with 10. Casey Barry led the defense with 11 digs. Katherine Sunwall was selected to the All-Tournament team.
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Volleyball Updates!
Tuesday, December 7 2004
October 7, 2003 -- In the first three weeks of the Frontier Conference volleyball season, the Lady Bulldogs are 3-3 in league play. Western got off to a shaky start, losing their first three matches.

On the road, the Lady Bulldogs lost to Carroll 23-30, 30-24, 18-30 and 28-30 and to Rocky 26-30, 21-30, and 23-30.

Western returned home to host Montana Tech and Lewis-Clark, both regionally ranked. The Lady Bulldogs fell to Tech 20-30, 28-30 and 26-30. Kasey Smith led the attack with ten kills. Amy Smith led the defense with nine digs.

Western won their conference match with a 30-23, 26-30, 30-24 and 30-22 victory over L-C. Four Lady Bulldogs scored in double figures led by Kasey Smith with 14 kills. Emily Smith added 13 kills followed by Katherine Sundwall with 12 and Jenny Finlay with 11. Kendall Bradley led the defense with 10 digs followed by Amy and Emily Smith with nine each.

Western hit the road for conference matches at MSU-Northern and the University of Great Falls. The Lady Bulldogs outlasted MSU-Northern 29-31, 30-17, 30-28, 23-30 and 15-4. Emily Smith led with 16 kills followed by Kasey Smith with 15. Amy Smith led the defense with 18 digs followed by Emily Smith with 14.

A three game sweep of Great Falls gave Western their third straight conference victory. The Lady Bulldogs won 30-23, 30-17, and 30-21. Kasey Smith led the offense with 14 kills followed by Katherine Sunwall and Jenny Finlay with 11 each. Amy Smith led the defense with 14 digs.

Western is now 3-3 in league play and 7-10 overall.

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Lady Bulldogs Hit the Road
Tuesday, December 7 2004
October 3, 2003 -- The University of Montana-Western Lady Bulldogs travel to Havre and Great Falls for a pair of Frontier Conference matches.

On Friday, October 3, the Lady Bulldogs take on the MSU-Northern Skylights in Havre. Northern is 1-2 in conference play and 8-8 overall.

On Saturday, October 4, the Lady Bulldogs play the University of Great Falls Lady Argonauts. The Argos are 0-3 in conference play and 3-14 overall. Western and UGF met in September at the Western Invitational with the Lady Bulldogs defeating Great Falls 31-29, 30-19, 30-22. Both matches begin at 7:00 pm.

Western is 1-3 in conference play after picking up their first league win against Lewis-Clark State last Friday night. The Lady Bulldogs are 5 12 overall.

"We were finally able to put together a complete match," said Western coach Jenny Peterson. "The win against L-C was a great one for us. They were unbeaten in the conference and ranked fourth in the region. That win showed the girls what they are capable of when they put a complete match together. We need to maintain that. The matches against Northern and Great Falls will be tough. Winning on the road is not easy and we will have to play our best."
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Lady Bulldogs at Home for Two Matches
Tuesday, December 7 2004
September 29, 2003 -- The University of Montana-Western Lady Bulldogs continue their weekend home stand with two matches. On Friday, September 26, Western hosts Utah Valley State College in a non-conference match. On Saturday, September 27, Western hosts Lewis-Clark State College in a Frontier Conference match. Both matches begin at 7:00 pm from the Straugh Gymnasium.

Western fell to 0-3 in league play and 4-11 overall after Wednesday night's loss to Montana Tech 30-20, 30-28, 30-26.

"We played better," said Western coach Jenny Peterson. "If you look at the stats from Wednesday night's match, they were pretty even. That shows me that we are getting closer to where we need to be. We have to eliminate mistakes. Serving errors against Tech just killed us. We had eight aces and ten serving errors. Having more service errors than aces is not what we want. All and all, despite the loss, I was pleased with our play and hopefully that progress continues into the weekend."

Utah Valley is 2-7 on the year after a loss to Brigham Young last Friday. UVSC is in their first year of NCAA Division I competition.

Lewis-Clark State College is 13-5 overall and 2-0 in league play. The Lady Warriors are ranked fourth in Region I and received votes in the NAIA Top 25. The two teams met earlier this month in the Western Invitational Tournament. Lewis-Clark downed Western 3-1.
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Western Spikers Host Montana Tech
Tuesday, December 7 2004
September 23, 2003 -- The University of Montana-Western hosts Montana Tech in a Frontier Conference volleyball match Wednesday, September 24. The match begins at 7:00 in the Straugh Gymnasium.

The Lady Bulldogs are 0-2 in league play after losses to Carroll College and Rocky Mountain on the road last weekend. Western is 4-8 overall.

"We didn't play very well this weekend," said Lady Bulldog coach Jenny Peterson. "We are still making too many mistakes, especially in passing. It is frustrating because if we want to challenge for the conference title, we can't keep playing like this. There were some bright spots over the weekend and we can take those and build. Tech is very good this year. They have a hard-hitting, aggressive style that is winning matches. They are a very experienced team and don't make many mistakes."

Montana Tech is off to their best start in recent years. The Lady Orediggers 14-6 overall , 2-0 in league play, are ranked third in the Region and 23rd in the nation.

The Lady Bulldogs continue at home Friday, September 26 in a non-conference match against Utah Valley and on Saturday, September 27 in a conference match against Lewis-Clark.
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Western Volleyball Travels This Weekend
Tuesday, December 7 2004
September 19, 2003 -- The University of Montana-Western travels to Carroll and Rocky this weekend to open Frontier Conference play. Thursday, September 17, the Lady Bulldogs take on the Lady Saints of Carroll College in Helena. On Friday, September 18, Western plays Rocky in Billings. Both matches begin at 7:00 pm.

Western raised their overall record to 4-8 after finishing 3-1 at the Western Invitational Tournament last weekend.

"We are playing better," said Western coach Jenny Peterson. "There is improvement everywhere. We had a couple of letdowns, but battled back to finish the tournament 3-1. Now its conference time and we open against two of the better teams in the conference. They are both very aggressive and love to take advantage of mistakes. We ended the tournament with two wins and hope that momentum carries over into conference."

Western and Carroll played in a non-conference match earlier this season and Carroll won 3-1. Carroll enters this weekend with a record of 8-5. Rocky enters the weekend with a record of 7-8.

The Lady Bulldogs return home next week to host Montana Tech Wednesday, September 24, Utah Valley and Lewis-Clark Friday and Saturday, September 26 and 27 in the Straugh Gymnasium.
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Lady Bulldogs Finish 2nd in Western Invitational Tourney
Tuesday, December 7 2004
September 16, 2003 -- The Lady Bulldogs finished second in the Western Invitational Volleyball tournament with a 3-1 record. That raises Western's overall record to 4-8.

The Lady Bulldogs opened the tourney with a lopsided win over the University of Victoria 30-16, 30-10, 30-19. Katherine Sunwall led Western with 11 kills followed by Kasey Smith with nine. Amy Smith led the defense with ten digs.

Against Lewis-Clark, Western opened strong and won the first game easily. The Lady Bulldogs let a big lead in the second game slip away as Lewis-Clark came from behind for the win. Western stayed close but but passing errors at critical times were their downfall as the Warriors won the final two games. Kasey Smith led Western with 12 kills followed by Katherine Sunwall and Emily Smith with 11 each and Jenny Finlay with 10. Amy Smith led the defense with 23 digs followed by Emily Smith with 19 and Casey Barry with 13. Kasey Smith had three unassisted blocks and seven assisted followed by Sunwall with two unassisted and eight assisted blocks.

Against Dakota Wesleyan, the Lady Bulldogs got off to a slow start and lost the first game 30-22. They rebounded to win the second, but passing errors plagued them in the third as Wesleyan won. Western came from behind to win the fourth game. The fifth game was all Lady Bulldog. Kasey Smith and and Katherine Sunwall led with 19 and 17 kills followed by Emily Smith with 13. Amy Smith once again led the defense with 18 digs followed by Jenny Finlay and Emily Smith with 13 each. Sunwall had four unassisted blocks and 10 assisted.

Kasey Smith led a balanced attack in the Lady Bulldogs three game sweep of the University of Great Falls. Smith had 14 kills, followed by nine from Casey Barry, eight from Emily Smith and six from Katherine Sunwall. Barry led Western defense with 12 digs followed by 11 from Amy Smith.
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Lady Bulldogs Host Invitational Tournament
Tuesday, December 7 2004
September 9, 2003 -- The University of Montana-Western volleyball team hosts an invitational tournament Friday, September 12 and Saturday, September 13. Western enters the weekend with a 1-7 overall record.

Seven teams will compete in the two day tournament. In addition to Western, other teams competing in the tourney include Westminster College of Utah, Lewis-Clark State, Victoria, Montana Tech, Dakota Wesleyan, and Great Falls.

"There are some very good teams coming to this year's tourney," said Lady Bulldog coach Jenny Peterson. "We will get a good look at several teams from the conference plus Dakota Wesleyan and the University of Victoria. The California tournament was a good one for us. Despite the losses, we gained valuable experience. Experience we need as we get closer to conference play. We need to be more consistent throughout the entire match. From passing to hitting to blocking to defense, we need to be more consistent. Each week, we have improved and that is what tournaments are good for, lots of games in a short period of time."

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Lady Bulldogs at California Tourney
Tuesday, December 7 2004
September 4, 2003 -- The University of Montana-Western volleyball team competes in the 2003 Otter Classic Friday, September 5 and Saturday, September 6. Western enters the weekend with a 1-2 overall record.

Twelve teams will compete in the two day tournament hosted by California State-Monterery Bay. Other teams competing in the tourney include Fresno Pacific, CSU-California, CSU-Monterey Bay, Bethany College, The Master's College, Clark College, Dominican University, Holy Names College, Menlo College, Westmont College, and Westminster College of Utah.

"This is going to be a very tough tournament and an excellent test for us to see where we are," said Lady Bulldog coach Jenny Peterson. "Some of the top teams in the NAIA will be there. We are playing better with every match, and a tournament like this will really get us ready for conference."

The Lady Bulldogs open the tourney Friday afternoon at 2:00 pm (PDT) against Fresno Pacific, followed by a 4:30 match against CSU-MB.

Western returns home to host their invitational tournament September 12 and 13.
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Lady Bulldogs Grab First Win
Tuesday, December 7 2004
September 2, 2003 -- The Lady Bulldogs went 1-1 in their holiday triangular tournament Saturday, August 30.

In the tourney's opening match, the Lady Bulldogs got off to a slow start in their match with the Albertson's College Lady Yotes of Caldwell, Idaho. Albertson's jumped on the Lady Bulldogs quickly won the first two games 30-18 and 30-21. In game three, Western came from behind to win 30-27. After tasting victory, the Lady Bulldogs used crisp passing and good defense to win game four 30-22. In the fifth and deciding game of the match, Albertson scored the first three points before the Lady Bulldogs got untracked and tied the score. The two teams traded leads before Western grabbed a 9-8 lead and held on for the victory.

Kasey Smith and Katherine Sunwall led the way with twelve kills apiece. Lindsey Scott led the defense with 13 digs followed by Amy Smith with 11.

Against Carroll College in the tourney's final match, the Lady Bulldogs took up where they left off against Albertson College and won a close 30-28. Game two another close one, but Carroll came out on top 30-27. In game three, Carroll took advantage of numerous passing errors and won easily 30-16. In game four, Western fell 30-22.

Kasey Smith once again led the Western attack with ten kills followed by Katherine Sunwall with nine and Jenny Finlay with eight. Finlay and Amy Smith led the Lady Bulldog defense with nine digs apiece followed by Lindsey Scott with eight.

Western is now 1-2 on the season.
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Lady 'Dawgs Opener a Disappointment
Tuesday, December 7 2004
August 29, 2003 -- The University of Montana-Western fell to Montana Tech 3-1 in their season opener. The Lady Bulldogs lost 21-30, 24-30, 30-24, and 17-30.

Western came out flat in the first game and the Lady Orediggers took advantage of numerous Bulldog errors on the way to an easy first game win. Western came back for a win in game two. But, in games three and four, errors took their toll on the Lady Bulldogs.

"A few things looked good," said Lady Bulldog coach Jenny Peterson. "I can get a few positive plays out of it. When we pass the ball and run our offense, we can look pretty good."

Though the match was between two Frontier schools, it was counted as a non-conference match.

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Western Volleyball Opens 2003 Season
Tuesday, December 7 2004
August 29, 2003 -- Coming off one of the best seasons in recent history, The University of Montana Western returns four of six starters from the 2002 team that finished 25-13 overall and captured a share of the regular season Frontier Conference championship with a 12-2 mark. The Lady Bulldogs capped the year with Western's second trip to the NAIA, Region One Tournament.

"It was a great season," said Lady Bulldog coach Jenny Peterson. "I had a great group of girls. Everyone worked hard over the summer and came ready to play. That kind of attitude and enthusiasm makes all the difference. There was not one bad attitude on the court, and that also makes a great deal of difference." The 2002 season was also the final season for four outstanding athletes in Katie Stokes, the Frontier Conference Most Valuable Player, Annawyn Ballou and Kristi Chidester. Amy White was accepted to Pharmacy School and transferred to the University of Montana.

Western returns an outstanding senior class in Kasey Smith (5-11) of Corvallis, Amy Smith (5-8) and Emily Smith (5-8), both of Sandpoint, Idaho. Middle Blocker Kasey Smith, a second team All-Conference selection, second team All-Region averaged 1.41 blocks per game, second best in the conference. She led Western and was third in the conference in attack percentage. Emily Smith, also a second team All-Conference, second team All-Region selection, played at both right side and a setter in Western's two setter offense. She averaged 1.72 kills and 5.07 assists per game. Libro Emily Smith led the Lady Bulldogs in digs with 3.91 per game and fourth in the conference.

"It's to believe that its their senior season," noted Peterson. "Emily is a great leader on the floor from both positions. Amy is our defensive leader and Kasey is very tough at the net. All three have been huge contributors to our success!"

Great Falls sophomore Katherine Sunwall (6-1), last year's Frontier Conference Freshman of the Year, led the team and the Frontier Conference in blocks with 1.51 per game. She was second on the team in attack percentage (third in the league) and third in kills.

"She didn't play like a freshman last year," said Peterson. "Katherine is a hard worker, a great person and a great athlete. She just keeps getting better."

Dillon sophomore Lindsey Scott (5-6) takes over for Annawyn Ballou in Western's two setter offense. "Lindsey is going to do a great job," said Peterson. "She worked very hard in the off season. She is so quick with great court sense and runs the offense very well."

Peterson will also count on sophomores Kendall Bradley (5-9) of Twin Bridges, Casey Barry (5-8) of Helena and Jeni Ramondelli (5-7) of Troy.

"Kendall is a very versatile athlete," added Peterson. "First she played outside, then we needed her at middle, and she came in and did a great job. Then she turned into one of our better servers, serving very well in pressure situations. Casey had shoulder surgery this past Spring and close to being back to full strength. She is only going to get better. Jeni knows her roll on the team. She worked very hard in the off season because we moved her from setter to defensive specialist. Jeni has showed so much improvement from last year."

Peterson signed three talented freshmen in the off-season, Rachel Bulcher (5-11), Hanson, Idaho; Amy Ranes (5-11) from Havre and Jenny Finlay (5-11) from Riverton, Utah.

"Jenny is a great outside hitter and showed me a lot in our scrimmage on Friday," said Peterson. "She has played a lot of club ball so she has the experience. Rachel has stepped into the right side hitter position very nicely and doing a great job. She has made a nice transition from high school to college. Amy Ranes is another very versatile player. We started her at middle, but when Amy White didn't come back we needed her at both right side and outside, so she has been practicing at all three positions and been doing great at all three."

With a solid senior class, an outstanding sophomore and a talented freshman group, Peterson hopes to continue the outstanding play from last season.

"Not just the talent of this group, but how well they get a long," noted Peterson. "When things are going wrong, they won't be blaming each other. They are a great group and find a way to get the job done." Western and Carroll were the coach's choice in the pre-season coach's poll, but Peterson thinks the league is too balanced to pick a favorite.

"There is not a lot of separation between the teams, we are a very balanced league," said Peterson. "And that is what you want. You want the fact that you have to be very prepared for every match. The team that wins is the team that did the most preparation. I think that this year the league is even going to be even more competitive than last year. Tech didn't have one senior so they will be starting right where they left off and they were tough. They are even better with a new right-side hitter. Carroll will be tough again with four talented redshirts who are now eligible. Rocky is going to be tough. Northern was young last year but they have a year of experience and will also be tough. Westminster has a new coach and a new look and all I can say is beware of Westminster. Lewis-Clark had a new coach last year, but they have had a year with his style and will be tough. Dick did a good job of recruiting at Great Falls and they will be better. I see a very competitive league."

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Lady Bulldogs Host Triangular Tourney
Tuesday, December 7 2004
August 29, 2003 -- The University of Montana-Western hosts Carroll College and Albertson College in a triangular volleyball tournament, Saturday, August 30 in the Straugh Gymnasium.

Western opened the season with 3-1 loss at Montana Tech. The Lady Bulldogs showed opening match jitters in their loss to Tech.

"Tech is a very, very good team," said Western coach Jenny Peterson. "We didn't play very well and Tech took advantage of every mistake we make. It wasn't the way I would have liked opening the season, but I did see some positives in the match. We have two more very tough matches this weekend. Both Carroll and Albertson are very good too, in fact, two of the better teams in the region. We can't play like we did against Tech and expect to compete against Carroll and Albertson."

Western plays Albertson College at 11:00 am, Albertson plays Carroll College at 1:30 pm and the Lady Bulldogs close out the day with a 4:00 pm match against Frontier Conference rival Carroll.

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Frontier Volleyball Coaches Pick Preseason Favorites
Tuesday, December 7 2004
August 5, 2003 -- Carroll College and the University of Montana-Western, the defending regular season conference co-champions, are the preseason favorites of Frontier Conference volleyball coaches to win the league title for the 2003 season. Carroll received five first place votes while Western received three.

Rocky Mountain College edged Lewis-Clark by one point for third. Montana Tech is next followed by Montana State-Northern, Westminster College and the University of Great Falls.

Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams. First place was worth seven points, second place worth six points, third place worth five points, fourth place worth four points, fifth place worth three points, sixth place worth two points, and seventh place worth one point.

Carroll College 45 points
University of Montana-Western 45 points
Rocky Mountain 33 points
Lewis-Clark 32 points
Montana Tech 29 points
MSU-Northern 15 points
Westminster 14 points
University of Great Falls 11 points

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Idaho Volleyball Star Signs with UM-Western
Tuesday, December 7 2004
June 2, 2003 -- Rachel Bulcher, a 5-10 outside hitter/middle blocker from Hansen, Idaho, has signed an NAIA/Frontier Conference letter of intent to play volleyball for the University of Montana-Western, according to head coach Jenny Peterson.

Bulcher was selected her team's Most Valuable Player her sophomore, junior and senior seasons. She was a two time All-Conference selection and was selected as a Senior All-Star. In her senior season, she recorded 78 kills with a 93% attack percentage. Bulcher averaged four aces and three blocks per game.

"Rachel is an outstanding athlete with a great work ethic," said Peterson. "She will fit into our program very well. Rachel is a real competitor and it shows with the awards she has received during her career. She also excels academically. We are very fortunate that she chose Western to further her education."

In addition to volleyball, she also participated in basketball and track. In basketball, she earned All-Conference honors, selected as a Senior All-Star and was selected her team's captain. Bulcher also received her team's top offensive and defensive honors.

In the classroom, she maintained a 3.833 GPA and was selected to the National Honor Society. Bulcher was elected Student Body President and selected to Who's Who Among American High School Students.

A 2003 graduate of Kimberly High School, she is the daughter of Bruce and Kathy Bulcher and plans to major in Psychology at Western.
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Lady Volleyball Team Signs Utah Standou
Tuesday, December 7 2004
April 16, 2003 -- Jenny Finlay, a 5-10 outside/right side hitter from Riverton, Utah, has signed a Frontier Conference/NAIA letter of intent to play volleyball for the University of Montana-Western, according to head coach Jenny Peterson.

Finlay earned All-Region and All-State honors and was named her team's Most Valuable Player after her senior season.

"We are very excited that Jenny chose to continue her academic and athletic career at Western," said Peterson. "She is an outstanding athlete with a great all around game. Jenny was a big reason her high school volleyball and basketball teams have been successful. She expects to win and knows how to win, which is very important at the collegiate level. With her skills, athleticicism and work ethic, she will be a big contributor to our program."

In basketball, she was selected her team's MVP in both her junior and senior seasons. Finlay earned second team All-Region honors and honorable mention All State honors.

In the classroom, she maintains a 3.75 GPA and was selected to the Honor Roll. Finlay will graduate this Spring from Riverton High School. She is the daughter of Donald and Tammy Finlay.
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Havre Volleyball Star Signs with UM-Western
Tuesday, December 7 2004
April 12, 2003 -- Amy Ranes, a 5-10 middle hitter from Havre, has signed an NAIA-Frontier Conference letter of intent to play volleyball for the University of Montana-Western, according to head coach Jenny Peterson.

Ranes is a 2002 graduate of Havre High School, where she earned first team All-Conference and All-State honors her junior and senior seasons and second team All-Conference honors after her sophomore season. Ranes was named her team's Most Valuable Player, played in the ABC Volleyball All-Star team and was selected to the All-State Tournament team.

"Amy is a great addition to our program, and we are very fortunate that she chose Western to further her education." said Peterson. "Her athleticism, work ethic and competitiveness will make her a big contributor to our program. Amy does well not only on the court, but in the classroom. She experienced success in high school, so we look forward to her bringing that winning attitude with her!"

Ranes also participated in basketball and track. She earned Academic All-State honors in all three sports and was selected to the National Honor Society. She maintained a 3.9 GPA and graduated in the Top Ten of her class.

Ranes plans to major in biology at Western. She is the daughter of Tim and Farol Ranes of Havre.
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Lady Bulldogs Open 2002 Season
Tuesday, December 7 2004
August 22, 2002 -- The University of Montana-Western volleyball team opens the 2002 season at the Sunbird Classic at Fresno, California August 23 & 24. Western will play matches against Biola University, Dominican College, Cornerstone University and Concordia University of Irvine.

There is excitement and optimism going into the 2002 season for the Lady Bulldog volleyball team. Western returns four starters and seven lettermen from a team that finished with a boom last season.

In 2001, Western went 19-15 and finished 6-8 in the Frontier Conference. In early October, the Lady Bulldogs took a break from conference matches to play in a tournament in Idaho. At that tourney Western went 3-1 including a win over nationally ranked Albertson College. Upon returning to conference action, the Lady Bulldogs stumbled, losing six straight matches. But then Western won four of their final six matches including a 2-1 showing at the conference tournament.

"We were very happy with the way we were playing at the end of the season," said head coach Jenny Peterson. "And, I was very happy with the way we played against Lewis & Clark in the conference tournament. Even though we lost, it was probably the best we had played against them in a long, long time."

Entering the 2002 season, the Lady Bulldogs will look to build on that late season success. First, Peterson must look to fill three large holes in the Western attack. Gone from last year's team are two-time All-American Katie Ryan, All Conference Honorable Mention selectee Tanya Romer and Melissa Burdick.

Ryan led the team last year in kills and was second in attack percentage. Romer led the team and was top ten in the conference in attack percentage and blocks. Burdick was top ten in the conference in both serving percentage and service aces.

Peterson will look to returning starters seniors Katie Stokes of Choteau and Annawyn Ballou of Twin Bridges, and juniors Emily Smith of Sandpoint, Idaho and Kasey Smith of Corvallis in building the 2002 Lady Bulldogs.

Stokes, an outside hitter, won the conference digs title and earned All Conference Honorable Mention honors. She averaged 4.9 digs per game and was second on the team in kills with 2.7 per game. Emily Smith and Ballou were part of Western's two setter offense which averaged 11.74 assists per game.

"After a year of using it, I like the two setter offense even more," noted Peterson. "It puts more offensive and blocking weapons up front. You don't have to worry about your setter getting hit over, or only having two hitters up front. It adds more pressure to the opponents front row."

Emily will also find playing time at right side. Kasey Smith, a middle blocker, won the league blocking title with 1.59 blocks per game.

Also returning from last year, are senior outside hitter Kristi Chidester of Blackfoot, Idaho , junior defensive specialist Amy Smith of Sandpoint, Idaho and sophomore right side hitter Amy White of Three Forks. Chidester saw limited action last year, but averaged 4.69 digs a game when she was on court. White was a part time starter who played last season more like an experienced veteran than a player fresh off a high school team. freshman redshirt Lindsey Scott of Dillon, will compete for playing time at setter.

Amy Smith, will fill the roll of the new libero position. The libero is a defensive specialist who is not allowed to serve or attack but with the new substitution rule, can virtually play non-stop. At the rotation, the libero would sit out just one play, and then come back into the game. The player playing the libero position will wear a different colored jersey than the rest of the team.

Add to the team mix, four very talented freshman in middle blocker Katherine Sunwall of Great Falls, outside hitters Kendall Bradley of Twin Bridges and Casey Barry of Helena and defensive specialist Jeni Ramondelli of Troy.

"I am very happy with my recruiting class," noted Peterson. "I think Katherine was the best player coming out the Montana high school ranks last year, and I am very pleased that she chose Western. Kendall is a very solid player who will play on the outside but has the versatility to also play in the middle. Jeni was outstanding setter in high school, and a great defensive player. Because of the depth at setter, this season, she will see more playing time as a defensive specialist."

With the strength of their preseason schedule, and with the competitive Frontier Conference, Western will be tested in every match. Eleven of their first twelve matches are on the road, and against some of the premier teams of the region.
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