BOZEMAN, Mont. -- The Idaho volleyball team fell in four sets on the road to Montana State, 25-17, 21-25, 23-25, 12-25 on Saturday afternoon. 

Aubrey Nielson and Taylor Brickey each posted 10 or more kills in the match to lead Idaho. Nielson tallied a game-high 16 kills while Brickey recorded 11 kills on a .400 hitting percentage. Setter Natalia Wielgus delivered one of her best matches at Idaho, tallying a career-high 41 assists, two kills and one block.

The Vandals started the match strong with a dominant 25-17 first-set victory. Nielson recorded five kills while Brickey pitched in four kills. Idaho used a pair of 5-0 runs to start and end the set to go up 1-0 early. 

The Bobcats responded in the second set with a 25-21 win. The Vandals hit a match-high .458 in the set while six different Vandals recorded a kill. Despite the high-powered offensive output, MSU held on to a lead for the entirety of the set. 

Idaho fell 23-25 in the third set to go down 2-1. Idaho posted 14 kills and hit .364, but the Montana State attack recorded their most efficient set with a .483 hitting percentage to earn the set win. With the Vandals down 23-20, a three-point spurt by Idaho would tie the score at 23 all but the Bobcats closed out the set with the next two points.

Montana State won the match with a 25-12 victory in the fourth. The Vandals held a 5-4 lead to begin the frame, but the Bobcats scored the next 14 points (17-5) to put the match out of reach. 

The Vandals start a three-match home stand next week with a matchup against Eastern Washington on Oct. 21 at 1 p.m. 

Match Leaders vs. Montana State
Kills: Aubrey Nielson – 16
Assists: Natalia Wielgus – 41
Digs: Aine Doty – 8
Blocks: Emma Patterson – 4 

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