Griz on road for final nonconference matches

The Montana soccer team will play a pair of matches in California this weekend as the Grizzlies' nonconference schedule, which has taken them to Indiana, Wyoming, Colorado and Washington, comes to an end.

Montana will play at San Jose State on Friday at 5 p.m. (MT), then travel 150 miles southeast for a match at Fresno State at 1 p.m. (MT) on Sunday.

Where they stand: Montana is 4-2-1 and ranked No. 10 in this week's NSCAA Pacific Region poll. The Grizzlies have been ranked all four weeks of the season.

San Jose State is 2-2-2, Fresno State, which hosts Saint Mary's on Friday, is 3-3-0.

Coverage: Both matches this weekend will have free video streaming through the Mountain West Network. Links to the video coverage and live stats can be found at gogriz.com.

Trending (Montana): Down. Since holding a 1-0 halftime lead over Boise State on Friday evening at South Campus Stadium, the Grizzlies have been outshot 23-6. At home. Montana held on for a 1-0 win over the Broncos, but on Sunday the Grizzlies meekly fell to Gonzaga 1-0, getting outshot 15-3.

"What I'm hoping to see this week is not the team that played on Sunday," said sixth-year coach Mark Plakorus, still as frustrated 72 hours later by his team's performance against Gonzaga as he was in the minutes after the match.

"I'm hoping I see us respond with some heart and with some pride in who we are. When you're playing Division I soccer, you have to bring everything you have every single day. We've been up and down all year, and it's getting to the point of the season where that could get us in a lot of trouble."

Trending (San Jose State): Even. The Spartans have mastered the art of the low-scoring nail-biter. Through six matches this season, San Jose State, an NCAA tournament team out of the Mountain West Conference last fall, has scored three goals but also has allowed just three goals.

The Spartans have shut out four opponents, have been shut out three times themselves and haven't scored more than a single goal in a match this season. Five of their six matches have resulted in either 1-0 or 0-0 decisions.

"They are a very good team. Like I've said all year long, we don't have a team on our schedule that isn't really good, and this team is no different," said Plakorus. "There is a reason they won the Mountain West tournament last year and went to the NCAAs.

"They are very well organized and a good defensive team. They don't give up a lot, and they have some very dynamic forwards coming at you."

Trending (Fresno State): Up. After opening the season with losses to UC Santa Barbara, Cal State Bakersfield and No. 20 Pepperdine, the Bulldogs have won three straight against Portland State, UC Davis and Pacific.

Fresno State, which scored more goals in its win over Portland State than San Jose State has scored all season, has totaled 11 goals this season while allowing 13.

"The teams we face during the nonconference are meant to challenge us in a complete way. We need to rise to that challenge," said Plakorus.

"They'll be a bit more attacking than San Jose State. They are very patient in their attack and get a lot of numbers forward. They are going to really come at us. We have to be ready for that."

Final nonconference weekend: Montana, San Jose State and Fresno State all are playing their final nonconference matches of the regular season this weekend.

Montana opens Big Sky Conference play next Friday when the Grizzlies host defending regular-season champion and this year's preseason favorite Idaho at South Campus Stadium.

San Jose State and Fresno State both open Mountain West Conference play next week. The travel partners make the Nevada/UNLV road trip.

Most recently: Montana made its home debut last Friday, posting a 1-0 victory over Boise State at South Campus Stadium on junior Charlene Burger's goal in the 38th minute. She redirected a cross from senior Carlee Bates. It was Burger's third career goal, Bates' first career assist.

The Grizzlies fell to Gonzaga on Sunday. Montana didn't take a shot in the first half and got off just three in the second half. That included junior Kaitlin Crowell's in the 57th minute that went off the left post.

The Grizzlies were outshot for the match 15-3 and have now gone more than 140 minutes without scoring. Over the last three matches, which started with a 2-1 loss at Washington State, Montana has been outshot 42-19, and those teams have generated 13 corner kicks to the Grizzlies' four.

"We have to do a better job attacking and creating opportunities for ourselves," said Plakorus. "We can't sit back and wait for things to happen. We have to go out and make them happen. Are we going to have the courage to step up this weekend?"

Despite the offensive malaise, Montana has been in matches because of its solid defense. The Grizzlies lead the Big Sky Conference in goals allowed, with five, and are tied for the league lead in shutouts, with three.

Senior goalkeeper Kailey Norman allowed just one goal last weekend, mostly because of a breakdown in front of her. It dropped her season goals-against average down to 0.69, the best mark in the Big Sky.

Upcoming: Montana will host Idaho next Friday at South Campus Stadium at 4 p.m., Idaho State on Sunday, Sept. 25, at 1 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

Carlee Bates

Charlene Burger

Kaitlin Crowell

Kailey Norman

University of Montana Athletics