Denim Millward
Sports Editor
For the Idaho State University volleyball team, there were no easy match-ups early in the season to allow team members to get their feet wet and ease back into the swing of things.
Rather, the Bengals dove headfirst into three consecutive tournaments in three different states, each chock-full of of tough competition.
Head coach Chad Teichert’s crew traveled to Utah, Arizona and Colorado for the three season-opening competitions against respective tournament hosts Utah State, Arizona State and Colorado.
While the locations of each tournament differed, the results for the Bengals were the same.
The Bengals went 1-2 in each of the three tournaments, bringing their overall season record as of “The Bengal’s” deadline to 3-6.
While the record is less than what the Bengals were likely hoping for, the rigorous schedule of tournament volleyball in addition to the high level of competition makes the overall result something of which the Bengals should not be ashamed.
In the first tournament in Logan, the Bengals did battle with Oregon State and St. Mary’s College in addition to the host team, the Utah State Aggies August 29 and 30.
The first day of the tournament saw the Bengals do battle with Utah State and fall 3-1.
The second day, the Bengals began the day with a 3-1 victory over St. Mary’s College but later fell to Oregon State 0-3.
Just five days later, the Bengals traveled to Tempe, Arizona For the Arizona State tournament, where the University of Albama-Birmingham and the University of Iowa September 5 and 6.
The Bengals began the tournament on a high note, getting a 3-0 sweep of Alabama-Birmingham.
Later that day, the Bengals faced of against the host Sun Devils, and though they stayed competitive through all four games, they were defeated 3-1.
ISU’s sole opponent the next day was the University of Iowa, who duplicated the result of the Bengals’ previous game, defeating Idaho State 3-1.
On September 12 and 13, Teichert’s squad made the trek to Boulder to compete in the Colorado tournament against the University of Colorado, Butler University and Robert Morris University.
The Bengals played the host Buffaloes on September 12 and lost 3-1. The Bengals then fell to Butler 1-3 the next day but managed to close out the tournament on a high note, defeating Robert Morris 3-0.
The 3-6 start is not ideal but has no bearing on Idaho State’s postseason aspirations or hopes to repeat as Big Sky Conference champions and make a return to the NCAA Tournament because they’ve yet to play a conference game.
In fact, their first conference game will not be until September 25, when they go up against Montana State Bobcats at Reed Gym.
Arguably the most impressive performance from Idaho State throughout the tournament was outside hitter Tressa Lyman.
Lyman, a redshirt junior, leads the Bengals in kills by a wide margin, tallying up 103 already this season.
Lyman has also tallied an impressive 123 points thus far, which is also good for the team lead.
Middle blocker and junior Makenzie Filer is second in points and kills for the Bengals, racking up 78.5 points and 64 kills in the young season.
For the first time in several years, the Bengals are without the services of setter Lori Mendenhall-Lee, the Bengals’ leader in sets last season and the arguable leader of the volleyball team in 2013.
