Women's Volleyball | 10/28/2026 10:00:00 AM

MATCHES #21 & 22
Who | Utah Tech (17-3, 10-0 Big Sky) vs. Montana (6-15, 2-8 Big Sky) | vs. Montana State (14-7, 7-3 Big Sky)
When | Thursday, Oct. 29 - 6 p.m. - BLUE OUT | Friday , Oct. 30 - 7 p.m. - RED OUT
Where | Burns Arena - St. George, Utah
Social Media | Instagram + Twitter (X) + #UtahTechBlazers

OPENING SERVE
Utah Tech closes out the month of October this week hosting Montana on Thursday night and Montana State on Friday night in Burns Arena.

TRAILBLAZERS EXTEND WINNING STREAK TO 14 STRAIGHT MATCHES 
The Trailblazers extended their winning streak to 14, the longest in program history in the NCAA era, last week sweeping Idaho at home on Thursday and Eastern Washington on the road on Saturday.

The Trailblazers topped the Vandals, 25-22, 25-17, 25-14 before downing the Eagles, 25-13, 25-22, 25-21.

Kennedi Knudsen led the Blazers with eight kills against the Vandals while Lusia Langi notched a season-high eight kills at EWU to lead the team.

The 14 straight wins for the Trailblazers are currently tied for fourth-longest in the nation behind Nebraska (21), College of Charleston (19) & Eastern Kentucky (15) while Utah Tech is tied with BYU at 14.

SITTING ATOP THE BIG SKY
The Trailblazers sit alone at the top of the Big Sky with a perfect 10-0 mark in conference.

It is Utah Tech's best start to conference play in the NCAA era surpassing its previous best start to conference play (9-0) set in 2014 as members of the PacWest.

Montana State sits in second place behind the Trailblazers with a 7-3 mark followed by a two-way tie for third between Weber State & Idaho State at 7-4.

MOVING UP THE RPI
The Trailblazers moved up to No. 73 in the latest RPI rankings released on Monday (Oct. 26) as they are the highest ranked team in the Big Sky followed by Idaho State (106), Montana State (121), Weber State (126), Northern Arizona (168) & Northern Colorado (171).

All three opponents, Hawaii (31), Utah (37) & LMU (38), who have defeated the Trailblazers all rank in the top 45 in the RPI.

The Trailblazers also have a win over non-conference opponent, Oregon State (151), in the top 200.

TRAILBLAZERS WINNERS OF 16 STRAIGHT & 20 OF LAST 21 IN BURNS ARENA
The Trailblazers have won 16 straight home matches after winning their first seven contests this season and completed their first-ever perfect home record in program history in 2025 finishing 9-0.

UT has won 20 of their last 21 home matches dating back to Oct. 12, 2024 against California Baptist with their lone loss in that stretch coming in the 2024 regular season finale against UT Arlington.

GLANCE AT THE MONTANA GRIZZLIES
Montana is 6-15 overall on the season and 2-8 in Big Sky play with wins at home over Idaho and Southern Utah.

Coming off a 17-11 overall record in 2025, the Grizzlies tied for fourth in the conference with a 9-7 mark.

The Grizzlies lead the Big Sky in service aces per set (1.66), rank third in service aces (126) & attacks per set (37.17) and are fifth in digs per set (15.43)

Senior setter Gracie Cagle leads the Big Sky in service aces per set (0.46) & service aces (35) and is third in assists per set (7.83) & fourth in assists (595).

Sophomore defensive specialist Madeline Sanderson tops the conference in digs per set (4.75) & is second in digs (361).

GLANCE AT THE MONTANA STATE BOBCATS
Montana State is 14-7 on the season and is second in the Big Sky with a 7-3 record in conference play.

The Bobcats, who were picked sixth in the Big Sky preseason poll, are 5-3 on the road and enter the week on a three-match winning streak playing at Southern Utah on Thursday night before coming to St. George.    

The Bobcats lead the Big Sky in kills (1,146) & assists (1,049) and are second in assists per set (12.06) & hitting percentage (.236).

Senior middle blocker Joelie Spelts leads the Big Sky in hitting percentage (.402) and sophomore setter Teagan Jaynes is second in the conference in assists (805) & assists per set (9.58).

SERIES HISTORY VS. MONTANA & MONTANA STATE
This will be the second-ever meeting between the Trailblazers and Montana after Utah Tech swept the first meeting in Missoula on Oct. 17 winning sets, 28-26, 25-17, 25-16.

This will be the third meeting between the Trailblazers and Bobcats with the series tied, 1-1.

The Trailblazers survived a five-set battle against Montana State in Bozeman on Oct. 15 while the Bobcats won the first matchup with a sweep on Aug. 27, 2021 at the Boise State Classic.

WHERE THE TRAILBLAZERS RANK IN BIG SKY/NCAA IN 2026
As a team, the Trailblazers lead the Big Sky in assists per set (12.24) & opponent hitting percentage (.154 - 9th in nation), rank second in kills per set (13.45) & attacks per set (37.23 - 14th in nation) and are third in digs per set (15.77 - 29th in nation) & hitting percentage (.234).

Shaylee Dahle is second in the Big Sky in hitting percentage (.399) while Nana Asiata is eighth in the conference in kills per set (2.93).

Tessa Treanor is second in the league in service aces per set (0.44) & fourth in aces (31).

Mya Laufiso is seventh in the Big Sky in digs per set (4.02) and Annalyse Shimada is tied for fourth in blocks per set (1.12).

SWEEPS ON SWEEPS
After notching 13 sweeps last season, tying for the second-most sweeps in a season in the NCAA era, the Trailblazers have tallied 10 sweeps this season, including five in a row from Sept. 11 through Sept. 24 along with the last three matches.

KNUDSEN & FRIED MAKE RETURN TO THE COURT
A pair of fifth-year seniors, Kennedi Knudsen & Casidy Fried, made their season debuts against Montana State on Oct. 15 after being held out of the first 16 matches of the season. They have eached played in the Trailblazers last four matches.

Knudsen, the program's all-time leader in kills and a two-time All-WAC selection, led the Trailblazers with 20 kills in a five-set win over the Bobcats adding 10 digs while hitting .320.    

Fried, a 2025 First Team All-WAC selection, earned Big Sky Co-Defensive Player of the Week honors on Oct. 19 after leading the Trailblazers in blocks in a pair of wins against Montana State & Montana tallying six blocks against the Bobcats and added nine blocks, five kills & three digs in a sweep over the Grizzlies.

KNUDSEN REACHES 1,000 CAREER KILLS
Already the program leader in kills, Knudsen reached the 1,000 career kill mark on Oct. 15 against Montana State and currently has 1,018 career kills.

Knudsen is also second in program history in attacks (2,753) & kill average (3.69) as well as being 11th in career digs (595).

UP NEXT
The Trailblazers open November on the road next week traveling to Idaho State (15-8, 7-4 Big Sky) on Nov. 5 and Weber State (14-7, 7-4) on Nov. 7.