Northridge’s Stock Rising in the Big Sky

Coaches in the Big Sky Conference picked the Cal State Northridge women’s volleyball team to finish eighth, and last, but so far the Matadors have proven the preseason poll to be grossly inaccurate.

On Thursday night, Northridge beat conference power Montana State 15-6, 16-14, 15-2. The victory puts the Matadors (3-8, 3-0 in the Big Sky) in first place.

“This was a big win for us,” Northridge outside hitter Amy Gillis said. “We came all out to win this and it’s very exciting.”

Montana State (11-3, 2-1), which had won six straight, went into the match as the conference leader in hitting percentage and block average.

Nancy Ma, a former Chinese junior Olympic team player, had a career-high 25 kills. She had several spectacular plays and crucial kills. Some of Ma’s shots were soft dinks, others powerful cross-court hits.

It threw Montana State off and left Coach Dave Gantt frustrated.

“They played very well,” Gantt said. “But I also think we stunk the gym up at times.”

Like in the first game. The Bobcats couldn’t get their offense going and two of their six points were the result of Northridge errors.

Then it was the Matadors’ turn to stink up the place. With a 12-4 lead in the second game, Northridge allowed Montana State to go on a 10-point run and by the time the Matadors woke up, it was game point.

But after holding off two game points, Northridge sealed the victory with four unanswered points, two of them off kills by Ma.

The Bobcats fell apart in the third game, falling behind 8-0.

Ma served the two last points and Gillis smacked a cross-court shot on match point.

“I am so happy to do so good, but it was the work of my whole team not just me,” Ma said through an interpreter.

Northridge middle blocker Getty Dimitrova, a 6-4 junior, had 18 kills and two aces. Gillis had 10 kills.