Rally comes up short, Griz fall in five

Thursday, October 5

Pocatello, Idaho

7:00 PM

Montana

5-13, 0-5BSC

Idaho State

5-13, 2-3BSC

Montana

Idaho State

10/5/2017 10:48:00 PM | Volleyball

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By: Montana Sports Information

The Montana volleyball team showed off its depth in fighting back from a 2-0 deficit at Idaho State on Thursday night, but in the end, in the fifth set, it was too much Abby Garrity.

The junior outside hitter had four kills in the fifth set on four swings and 22 for the match on .320 hitting to lead the Bengals to a 25-22, 25-16, 22-25, 17-25, 15-9 victory over the Grizzlies at Reed Gym.

The loss drops Montana to 5-13, 0-5 in Big Sky matches. Idaho State (5-13, 2-3 BSC) picked up its second consecutive victory.

The Grizzlies gave up nine service aces in the first two sets to fall behind 2-0, and all signs pointed to the team's fourth consecutive three-set loss. Adjustments were needed. Desperately.

"We made changes because we were getting tentative and were starting to fall into the same pattern we've been in the last few matches," said coach Allison Lawrence.

"Teams put pressure on us from the service line so we start passing poorly. Then we get tentative swinging and become more high error."

Silerolia Gaogao emerged from the locker room after halftime with a libero's jersey. Janna Grimsrud came in at middle blocker, and Sarah Grinnell stepped on the court for the first time in her career to help at the service line.

An Idaho State team that couldn't be contained in sets one and two hit .085 in sets three and four, with a single service ace.

"We decided to make the switch at libero because we needed to get our serve-receive going in the right direction and try to get some digs against (Garrity)," said Lawrence. "We weren't doing much on defense at any level, so we wanted to see what we could do to change it up.

"That's what I love about this team, the depth we have. We know people are waiting for their chance, and we know they can come in and contribute and change things up when they get it."

Despite playing only the final three sets, Gaogao, who served nine straight points in the runaway fourth set and had four service aces, tied for the team lead with 13 digs. Playing the same number of sets, Grimsrud had five blocks.

And after redshirting last season and not getting on the court the first 17 matches this season, Grinnell, who is from Pocatello, played well in the role she was asked to fill, even coming up with a service ace.

"I am really proud of Sarah," said Lawrence. "Because of the changes we made, we needed a serving sub, and Sarah is one of our toughest servers in practice.

"She was in her hometown with her family behind her, so I felt confident she was going to go in and hit her zones, and she did. She did great."

Montana had all the momentum going into the fifth set, but Idaho State had Garrity, and that was the difference. The Bengals put down 11 kills on .421 hitting in the final set to win in anticlimactic fashion.

"We just couldn't stop her. She did a remarkable job carrying her team out of the hole they were in," said Lawrence. "She started in left front, so they got the maximum number of rotations with her coming through the front row, and we had no answer.

"She had every shot in the book and played out of her mind. It wasn't fun to watch, but it was an impressive performance by her."

Missy Huddleston had 13 kills on .297 hitting and 12 digs for Montana. Mykaela Hammer totaled 12 kills and 13 digs, and Maddy Marshall, getting her first extensive playing time in a number of weeks, finished with 11 kills and a team-high 17 digs.

Ashley Watkins had 45 assists, her most since the second match of the season, along with seven digs and six blocks, and Baily Permann, also making her return to Pocatello, finished with nine kills on .241 hitting and six blocks.

But it was the subs who Lawrence went to when Montana was needing something, anything, from someone, anyone, who were the keys to a match that almost turned the Grizzlies' way.

"There is some disappointment in losing this match, but I'm intensely proud of the athletes who came in and changed our fate, because we were headed out the door after that second set," said Lawrence.

"We had athletes come in and change the story and do their jobs really, really well. Sarah, Lia and Jenna all came in and performed in ways that made me extremely proud."

Montana will try to snap its 10-match losing streak and pick up its first league win when the Grizzlies face Weber State on Saturday night in Ogden, Utah. The Wildcats lost at home on Thursday night to Montana State in five sets.