Vikings hold down Grizzlies

Thursday, November 3

Missoula, Mont.

7:00 PM

Montana

4-19, 1-12BSC

Portland State

15-10, 7-6BSC

Portland State

Montana

11/3/2016 9:49:00 PM | Volleyball

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By: Montana Sports Information

Portland State handed the Montana volleyball team its 11th consecutive loss on Thursday night at the West Auxiliary Gym in Missoula, winning 25-21, 25-19, 25-18.

The Vikings (15-10, 7-6 BSC) limited the Grizzlies (4-19, 1-12 BSC) to .017 hitting, Montana's second-lowest percentage of the year. Only Iowa State had more success, holding the Grizzlies to .010 hitting back on Sept. 10.

"Offensively we just weren't able to get it together tonight," said second-year coach Brian Doyon, whose team had 30 kills but also 28 attack errors. "We had a hard time trying to score points."

Montana fell behind 6-1 in the opening set. The Grizzlies fought back to tie it, but a 4-0 run midway through gave Portland State a lead it would keep the rest of the set.

Employing a 5-1 system in a match for the first time in more than a month, Montana got rolling in the second set. Alexis Urbach had six of her 10 kills for the match in the first half of the set, and her service ace put the Grizzlies up 16-12 and forced a Portland State timeout.

PSU coach Michael Seemann got what he wanted from the break in play. Montana had hitting errors on five of the next six points, and the Vikings scored 13 of the set's final 16 points to win 25-19.

Montana had just six kills in the final set and eight attack errors to hit -.074 and lose 25-18.

This isn't the best Portland State team Seemann, now in his 10th year, has had, but the Vikings don't have many weaknesses either. They hit .174, had three players dig 12 or more balls and out-blocked Montana 10-6.

"They are a good team, and they played well tonight," said Doyon. "They were digging, they were blocking. They are just steady state and play well together."

Portland State junior setter Erin Clark had 28 assists, 13 digs, five kills on .375 hitting and three blocks. Sophomore middle blocker Katy Wilson finished with seven kills on .429 hitting and a match-high five blocks.

Montana senior setter Raegan Lindsey had 19 assists and a season-high 16 digs. Urbach, an all-or-nothing big swinger, totaled a team-high 10 kills, but she also had nine of the team's 28 attack errors and hit just .032.

Senior libero Sadie Ahearn's 12 digs give her 1,118 for her career, leaving her five away from moving into 10th in program history.

Montana will host Montana State (5-17, 3-10 BSC) on Friday at 7 p.m. in Dahlberg Arena. The Bobcats lost in four sets at home on Thursday night to Sacramento State.