Crunch time arrives for Griz soccer team

The Montana soccer team will play its final regular-season home matches this weekend when it hosts North Dakota and Northern Colorado at South Campus Stadium in Missoula. The Grizzlies will take on the Fighting Hawks at 3 p.m. on Friday, the Bears at noon on Sunday.

Montana will close out the regular season next Friday at Eastern Washington. Should the Grizzlies advance, the six-team Big Sky Conference tournament will start on Wednesday, Nov. 2, at the home of the regular-season champion.

Where things stand: If the tournament field was determined today, Montana would be in the top six, but here's how tight the standings are: The Grizzlies, at 3-2-2 in league and with 11 points, are just three points out of second. But they are also only two points ahead of ninth-place Northern Colorado.

To make the tournament, Montana, 7-5-4 overall, will probably need to be at 16 points by the time its match at Eastern Washington next week is over. Two wins would do the trick. It would be best to knock those out at home this weekend and not face a win-or-else match next week at second-place EWU.

The good news: Montana is 11-1-1 at home in regular-season Big Sky Conference matches the last three seasons.

"If we play at the level we're capable of, I expect us to perform well," said sixth-year coach Mark Plakorus. "Whether that's enough to get the results we need, we'll see. I just want to play well. I have a lot of belief in this team."

Trending (Montana): Up. The Grizzlies are 3-1-2 in their last six matches, and that would be 5-1-0 had they held on to leads in the final five minutes of regulation in what turned out to be draws at Sacramento State and Northern Arizona.

It's a big if, but if Montana had walked off NAU's field last Friday at Flagstaff with a 2-0 win instead of allowing goals in the 86th and 89th minutes to end in a 2-2 tie, the Grizzlies would have 3-0, 2-0 and 2-0 wins in its last three matches.

That followed a streak when the Grizzlies were 1-4-1. The final result in that string of matches was a 4-1 home loss to Idaho in Montana's Big Sky opener.

"A lot of it goes to the players," said Plakorus. "They weren't happy with how we were playing. They knew it wasn't our best, so they got together and figured some things out.

"We've been training well the last few weeks. We're starting to be more consistent with things and give ourselves a chance to compete in games. Hopefully we can keep performing at that level."

Trending (North Dakota): Down. The Fighting Hawks are 2-11-2 this season and have won just once since the season's opening weekend. Outside of a 4-1 home win over Southern Utah on Oct. 9, last-place UND (1-6-0 BSC) has scored just six goals in its other 14 matches, being shut out eight times.

Trending (Northern Colorado): Down. The Bears won last year's Big Sky tournament at Moscow, Idaho, and were expected to compete for this year's title, but UNC finds itself in a shaky spot after dropping a pair of home matches last weekend by 1-0 scores to Portland State and Sacramento State.

At 3-4-0 in league, 8-7-1 overall, and with nine points in the Big Sky standings, Northern Colorado, which hosts North Dakota next week, has to pick up a minimum of one victory this weekend, but matches at Eastern Washington on Friday and at Montana on Sunday will make that difficult.

History: Montana is 6-2-0 against North Dakota since the series began in 2008. The Grizzlies have outscored the Fighting Hawks 16-1 while going 4-0 against UND at South Campus Stadium. North Dakota won last year's matchup 2-1 at Grand Forks on a goal in the 87th minute.

Montana is 4-5-2 against Northern Colorado since 2006 and has won just twice in the teams' last seven meetings (2-3-2). The Grizzlies are 3-1-1 against the Bears in Missoula. UNC won last year's meeting 3-2 in Greeley, with the game-winner coming in the 74th minute.

Most recently: Montana opened last week's road trip to Northern Arizona and Southern Utah by going up 1-0 on the Lumberjacks in the 35th minute on a goal by Ashlee Pedersen (assist: Allie Lucas). An NAU own goal made it 2-0 in the 54th minute.

That lead held going into the final five minutes of regulation. That's when Northern Arizona headed in two corner kicks in a matter of 134 seconds to send the match to overtime. Making her second career start in goal, Maddie Vincent made four saves in the overtime periods to keep it all square.

Two days later, in windy Cedar City, Montana scored twice in the opening 25 minutes, and those goals held up in the Grizzlies' 2-0 victory over Southern Utah. Both were scored by McKenzie Warren.

Upon review: Warren's goals were both originally listed as unassisted. A review of the video changed that, giving the assist on Warren's goal in the sixth minute to Janessa Fowler and her goal in the 25th minute to Hallie Widner.

That turn of events leaves Warren and Widner tied for the team lead with nine points. Warren, who finally scored against a team not from a Power 5 conference, has a team-leading four goals and one assist on the year. Widner has three goals and three assists, which ties her for the team lead.

Widner's assist was just her second point since Aug. 26. She opened the season with three goals and an assist in Montana's first three matches.

Vincent solid in season debut: Junior Maddie Vincent got the call to start in goal in both matches last week after senior Kailey Norman was left off the trip for medical reasons. Vincent made seven saves against Northern Arizona, two more at Southern Utah to pick up her first collegiate shutout.

Vincent's only other career start came in Montana's 4-3 overtime victory last season at home over Indiana State.

Senior Day approaches: Eight players will be honored prior to Sunday's match, which likely will be the final home game of their careers: Payton Agnew, Carlee Bates, Tess Brenneman, Jenna Castillo, Mary Gintz, Emily Kardash, Kailey Norman and Aspen Peifer.

Kardash suffered a knee injury last spring and hasn't been able to play this fall.

Montana three-dot notes: When Maddie Vincent started at Northern Arizona on Friday, it was the first time in 59 matches Kailey Norman did not start in goal. ... Ashlee Pedersen's first-half goal at NAU was her second of the season, the fifth of her career. ... Allie Lucas's assist on Pedersen's goal was No. 3 for the season, No. 7 for her career. Note: 12 is the cut to make the Montana top 10 list. ... The Grizzlies' 2-2 draw against the Lumberjacks marks the third straight year the teams have played to a tie. ... Hallie Widner is tied for the team lead with three assists with Ashlee Pedersen, Mary Gintz and Allie Lucas. ... McKenzie Warren's other career goals, before two on Sunday against Southern Utah, came against Iowa, Purdue and Washington State. ... Since getting shut out in three consecutive matches, against Gonzaga, San Jose State and Fresno State, Montana has scored in six of its last seven matches, with seven in its last three.

Around the Big Sky Conference: And then there was one. Eastern Washington's stumble on the road last week (3-3 draw at Southern Utah, 3-1 loss at Northern Arizona) opened the door for Idaho.

Considering Washington State has a home football game against Arizona the same weekend Moscow would possibly host the league tournament, that's not the best news.

This week's breakdown (minus Southern Utah and North Dakota, who are eliminated):

In the catbird's seat: Idaho (5-1-1, 16 points). The Vandals play their final three matches at home, against Northern Arizona, Southern Utah and Idaho State. Idaho has not lost at Guy Wicks Field in its last 15 home matches (10-0-5).

One win from a tournament spot: Eastern Washington (4-1-2, 14 points), Sacramento State (4-2-2, 14 points).

The Eagles have a tough finish, hosting a desperate Northern Colorado team on Friday, then traveling to Grand Forks for a match at North Dakota on Sunday. Next week: Montana, which has beaten EWU six straight times.

The Hornets have only two matches remaining: home against Weber State on Friday, on the road at Portland State next Friday. Sac State best take care of business this week.

Six teams fighting for three (?) tournament spots: Idaho State (4-3-0, 12 points), Montana (3-2-2, 11 points), Northern Arizona (3-2-2, 11 points), Weber State (3-4-1, 10 points), Portland State (3-4-1, 10 points), Northern Colorado (3-4-0, 9 points).

With only two matches left, when every other team on the list has three, Weber State and Portland State, who play on Sunday, are at a disadvantage.

Remaining schedules:
Idaho State: SUU, NAU, at UI
Montana: UND, UNC, at EWU
Northern Arizona: at UI, at ISU, SUU
Weber State: at SAC, at PSU
Portland State: WSU, SAC
Northern Colorado: at EWU, at UM, UND

Best bet to advance to November: Idaho State, Montana, Portland State

Upcoming: Montana will face Eastern Washington on Friday, Oct. 28, at 3:30 p.m. (MT). That match could mean very little if both teams have clinched tournament spots, or it could mean everything for one or both teams. This weekend will set the stage.

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Players Mentioned

Payton Agnew

Carlee Bates

Tess Brenneman

Jenna Castillo

Janessa Fowler

Mary Gintz

Emily Kardash

Allie Lucas

Kailey Norman

Ashlee Pedersen

Aspen Peifer

Maddie Vincent

McKenzie Warren

Hallie Widner

University of Montana Athletics