Montana
North Dakota
Griz no threat to Fighting Sioux
9/2/2011 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Sept. 2, 2011
Box score
North Dakota hit .292 and forced Montana into -.011 hitting Friday night in the Fighting Sioux's quick 25-16, 25-18, 25-12 victory over the Grizzlies on the opening day of the North Dakota Classic at Grand Forks.
Wisconsin-Green Bay had no trouble with Southern Utah in Friday's first match, winning 3-0.
Montana (1-2) will face Southern Utah (1-4) Saturday at 10 a.m. (MT) and UWGB (2-3) Saturday at 4 p.m. (MT).
The Grizzlies jumped out to a 3-1 start in the opening set, but that was the highlight of the evening.
The Sioux (2-2) out-blocked Montana 10 to 1 and limited the Grizzlies to a negative hitting percentage in both the first and third sets.
Montana hadn't been held to a negative hitting percentage since falling to No. 11 UCLA in 2003.
"We never gave ourselves a chance tonight in any facet of the game," UM coach Jerry Wagner said.
"North Dakota was just way better than us. They had us out of our offense and pretty much shut down anyone on our side of the net that they wanted to.
"They outplayed us, and we had no answer."
After Montana's early lead in the opening set, North Dakota ran off 13 of the next 14 points to take a 14-4 lead. The Griz would get no closer than six points the rest of the set and hit -.054, with just five kills and seven errors on 37 attacks.
The Sioux hit .256 and only got stronger from there. UND hit .312 in the second set, .320 in the third.
Freshman Kaitlyn Molloy served four straight points midway through the second set - including a pair of service aces - but North Dakota scored three straight points to take an 11-10 lead and the Sioux did not trail again the rest of the match.
Montana's two left-side hitters combined for just six kills and hit -.154.
Junior Paige Branstiter led the Grizzlies with seven kills on the right side, senior middle blocker Brittany Quick had five kills on .308 hitting.
Molloy led both teams with 15 digs.
North Dakota's Ronni Munkeby had nine kills on .364 hitting. Nikki Husfeldt had 34 assists and four blocks.
