Griz look to secure postseason berth

MONTANA AT NORTHERN COLORADO
Friday, Sept. Oct. 20 / 6 p.m. MT / Greeley, Colo.
Video Stream / Live Statistics

MONTANA VS. NORTH DAKOTA
Sunday, Oct. 22 / 2 p.m. MT / Missoula, Mont.
Video Stream / Pluto TV (channel 237) / Live Statistics

GRIZ LOOK TO SECURE POSTSEASON BERTH
The objective in a college soccer season is for a team to find its rhythm and peak at the right time,
which the Montana Grizzlies believe they're doing. Winners of three of their last four games, Montana sits in third place in the Big Sky standings and has the potential to clinch a conference tournament berth this weekend.

On the horizon is a trip to Greeley, Colo., to take on a strong Northern Colorado squad and a home date vs. North Dakota in the Fighting Hawks' last trip to Missoula as members of the Big Sky Conference. Both teams present challenges, as does the fact that it's a split weekend with one match on the road and one at home.

"This weekend will be a challenge, but I think we're in a good place," head coach Mark Plakorus said. "We're playing at a good level and the players are doing everything I ask them to do. They're very excited about the weekend and looking forward to competing again."

Northern Colorado was picked to finish in the upper-half of the league standings and is right there, a single point behind Montana. Like Montana, UNC has won three of its last four matches.

"From the get-go, I thought Northern Colorado was going to be one of the best teams in the conference," Plakorus said. "Kind of like us, they've dropped a couple games I'm sure they wish they could have back, but they're a good team. They play somewhat similar to us in terms of trying to keep the ball and moving it. They have a young lady in the middle of the field (Mariel Gutierrez) who's really good; we're going to have to deal with her."

North Dakota has one of the league's top players in Katie Moller and can stay in the conference-tournament picture with at least one victory this weekend.

"Chris is a very good coach and has them playing really well right now," Plakorus said. "They're improving from where they've been. North Dakota is playing with a lot of confidence and has a lady up top (Moller) who's scored a lot of goals for them."

Be sure to come out to watch Griz Soccer this Sunday at 2 PM. It will be Community Appreciation Day! #GoGriz #FightUniteWin pic.twitter.com/hN5VvBZWM1
— Montana Griz Soccer (@MontanaGrizSOC) October 17, 2017

The Grizzlies continue to be one of the top defensive teams in the league and that showed last weekend, allowing just a single goal over two games. That lone goal was an own goal in the opening minute at Eastern Washington, a team that is out-scoring its conference opponents 16-1. Montana has posted four shutouts in its past eight contests, including a 1-0 victory over Idaho last Friday.

The win was Montana's second consecutive overtime victory, with senior Allie Lucas finding the back of the net in the 98^th minute.

MONTANA GOAL! GRIZ WIN!!! #FightUniteWin pic.twitter.com/sEVCQnJLcA
— Montana Griz Soccer (@MontanaGrizSOC) October 14, 2017

Four points this weekend will guarantee a postseason berth for the Grizzlies. That number could be smaller, depending on what opposing teams do. However, Plakorus' focus is on his team.

"You have to focus on what you can control and what's sitting in front of you," he said. "Nothing in the past matters and nothing in the future matters. We have to be ready for the moment that's in front of us."

POINTS GAME
With three games remaining in the regular season, Montana sits in third place in the Big Sky Conference standings, at 13 points. With a jumble of teams still in the mix for the six-team conference tournament, Montana could clinch a postseason berth as early as Friday.

A win Friday at Northern Colorado could lock up a top-six seed, depending on other results throughout the conference, and a win and tie this weekend would guarantee it, regardless of what other teams around the league do.

Montana has qualified for the Big Sky Conference tournament 15 times since 1997, winning it four times, in addition to six regular-season titles.

MONTANA AT A GLANCE

Montana enters play this weekend with a 9-6-2 mark, already matching its 2016 win total. UM earned a result in four consecutive contests (three wins) prior to last Sunday's 1-0 defeat at Eastern Washington.
First-year goalkeeper Claire Howard has posted six shutouts in goal. In 17 contests, the Griz have allowed zero or one goal 16 times.
The Grizzlies' defense ranks 39^th nationally, allowing just 0.68 goals per game (0.57 in conference play).
Seven of UM's 16 credited goals have come from freshmen, with five different newcomers accounting for 18 of the team's 44 points (40.9 percent). Alexa Coyle has started all 17 contests, leading the Griz with three goals and eight points.
UM returned eight starters and 12 letterwinners from its 2016 team, including All-Big Sky Conference second-team performers Chanelle Pederson and Hallie Widner.
UM went 9-6-5 in 2016 and tied for third in the Big Sky with a 5-2-3 league record. The No. 4 Grizzlies lost 1-0 to No. 5 Eastern Washington in the quarterfinals of the Big Sky tournament.
UM was picked to finish third out of 11 teams in the Big Sky Conference preseason poll.
UM is led by seventh-year coach Mark Plakorus, who has guided the Grizzlies to five Big Sky tournaments in his first six seasons.
UM has won three Big Sky Conference titles under Plakorus (2011 tournament, 2012 and 2014 regular-season).

SCOUTING NORTHERN COLORADO

Northern Colorado enters Friday's match with a 10-6 mark, including a 4-3 record in Big Sky play.
UNC has won three of its last four matches overall, and is 6-3 at home this season.
The Bears average 1.50 goals per game while allowing 0.94 goals against (third-best in BSC).
Madeline Burdick has started all 16 matches in net. She's tied with Claire Howard for the league lead with six shutouts. Burdick was the Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 6.
Forward Mariel Gutierrez had two goals and an assist against Southern Utah last weekend and leads the team in points. Brooke Braden has a team-best five goals. Both players were all-conference selections a year ago.
Tim Barrera is in his 19^th season coaching UNC. As the program's all-time wins leader, he led the Bears to a conference tournament title as recently as 2015.

SERIES VS. THE BEARS
Northern Colorado is one of only two teams in the Big Sky Conference to hold a winning record against Montana, going 5-4-3. Under Plakorus, the Grizzlies are 2-2-2, including a scoreless draw in 2016. They are looking for their second ever win in Greeley (1-4-1).

In 2014, Hallie Widner scored the game's only goal. Ellie Otteson scored in the 2015 meeting vs. UNC.

SCOUTING NORTH DAKOTA

North Dakota enters the week with a 5-7-1 record. In its last season in the Big Sky Conference, the Fighting Hawks are vying for their first-ever conference tournament appearance. [Prior to Sunday's match, UND plays at Portland State on Friday.]
Sophomore Catherine Klein ranks sixth in the NCAA with 7.75 saves per game. She ranks 15^th nationally for saves percentage. Klein is the reigning Big Sky Defensive Player of the Week.
Klein replaced all-conference goalkeeper Olivia Swenson, who played in three games but hasn't competed since Sept. 3.
Junior forward Katie Moller leads the league with 5.43 shots per game and 1.57 points per game. She has eight goals and three assists on the season.
Chris Logan is in his first season leading the Fighting Hawks. He was previously the head coach at Northern Iowa.

SERIES VS. THE FIGHTING HAWKS
Montana owns a 7-2 advantage over North Dakota, including an undefeated mark (5-0) in Missoula. The Grizzlies rebounded from a 2015 loss with a 1-0 overtime victory in 2016.

From 2012-14, Montana outscored North Dakota, 14-0 – including seven goals in 2014, tied for the second-most in school history. In that game, Allie Lucas had a career day, totaling two goals and an assist, while Charlene Burger had a goal and two assists and Maddy Emerick scored a goal. In 2016, Hallie Widner scored the game-winner in the 99^th minute, assisted by McKenzie Warren.

SCORE & WIN
When Montana scores, good things happen. It seems like a simple concept, really, but when looking at the results, one finds an interesting trend. The Grizzlies are unbeaten in the 10 games they have scored in (9-0-1). They have been shut out seven times, going 0-6-1 in those contests (Montana lost three 1-0 decisions to Power-5 opponents and earned a 0-0 draw with another, Washington State).

GETTING SHOTS OFF
Montana's offense averaged just 9.9 shots per game through non-conference action, but has upped its average during conference play, taking at least 15 in all five matches and averaging 18.14 during league play. The figure barely trails league-leader Eastern Washington (18.86), who the Grizzlies out-shot 15-6 last Sunday.

During Big Sky play, Montana is out-shooting its opponents 127 to 58. The Griz have 48 shots on goal, compared to 16 for its opponents – and zero allowed vs. Southern Utah.

DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS
The Grizzlies continue to rely on their defense to win games. They have posted six shutouts on the season, including four in their past eight games. During that stretch, Montana went more than 315 consecutive minutes (parts of four games) without allowing a goal.

Out of the nation's 332 Division I women's soccer programs, Montana ranks 39th, allowing 0.68 goals per game (first in the Big Sky). That number is even more impressive during conference play, with Montana allowing just four goals through seven games (0.57 per game).

Redshirt freshman goalkeeper Claire Howard's goals-against average ranks among the nation's top-15 percent as well. Even more impressive, the Griz defense is excelling even after having to replace 2016 first-team All-Big Sky defender Tess Brenneman and the league's Goalkeeper of the Year, Kailey Norman.

HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE
The Grizzlies are unbeaten on their home turf this season, posting victories over Air Force, Northern Arizona, Sacramento State, San Jose State and Southern Utah, and a double-overtime draw against Washington State of the Pac-12.

At 5-0-1 and two home matches remaining, Montana is chasing one of the top home records in school history. The Grizzlies have finished a season unbeaten at home just once – going 3-0-2 in 2012 – and have posted just a single loss on three occasions (from 1996-98).

COYLE & CO. LEADING THE FRESHMEN
Despite returning 12 letterwinners and seven starters from last year's squad, Montana also added 14 newcomers during the offseason. The young players are making names for themselves early, led by Bozeman native Alexa Coyle.

Two weeks ago, Coyle had the game-winning goal against Sacramento State and the game-winning assist vs. Northern Arizona. On the year, she leads all Griz players for goals (3) and points (8) and ranks second for shots on goal (11). Coyle is far from the only freshman making an early impact, however:

Eight players have made their collegiate debuts this season, including six who have earned starts. Coyle and Claire Howard have started all 17 contests for the Griz.
Seven of UM's 16 credited goals scored have come by freshmen, in addition to more than one-third (18 of 44) of the team's total points.
In its Sept. 10 win at Northern Iowa, both of UM's goals and both assists were credited to freshmen. Rita Lang scored her first collegiate goal (assisted by Coyle). Lang received the assist for Raye Burton's game-winning goal.
During the Montana Cup (Aug. 25-27), UM's first three goals were scored by freshmen.

"It's always good to have talent," Mark Plakorus said in September. "I think every class that comes through here has come in with the expectation that they have to perform. It's good on them to make sure they did the preparation coming in, and the upperclassmen have done a fantastic job of bringing them into our family and preparing them for our expectations. I'm happy for them, but it's still very early in the season. They've started strong, but they have to find consistency and stay humble."

LOOKING AHEAD
Montana closes the regular season on Friday, Oct. 29, vs. Portland State. As of this week, the Vikings are the No. 2 seed, just ahead of the Grizzlies.

She dances. She likes cats. And she's smart!

Get to know @ttaylorr_kkayy in this week's Q&A. pic.twitter.com/y9XjNSP0dM
— Montana Griz Soccer (@MontanaGrizSOC) October 17, 2017

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Players Mentioned

Charlene Burger

Maddy Emerick

Claire Howard

Allie Lucas

Ellie Otteson

McKenzie Warren

Hallie Widner

University of Montana Athletics