Thursday, September 28
Missoula, Mont.
7:00 PM
Montana
5-11, 0-3BSC
0
vs
3
Sacramento State
12-7, 3-0BSC
1
2
3
F
Sacramento State
29
25
25
3
Montana
27
11
19
0
Hornets spoil Grizzlies’ home debut
9/28/2017 10:06:00 PM | Volleyball
She understands if they went home disappointed with the result, but first-year Montana volleyball coach Allison Lawrence doubts many of the 502 fans who made their way to the West Auxiliary Gym on Thursday night for the Grizzlies' home opener went away discouraged.
"I hope our fans saw what the coaches and what our team saw, that there were great moments that showed we can play with any team we go up against," said Lawrence, whose team lost in straight sets to Sacramento State, 29-27, 25-11, 25-19.
"If we can put more of those moments together, we're going to give ourselves more and more opportunities to win."
It was the ninth win in 11 matches for the Hornets (12-7, 3-0 BSC), who hit .322, the highest percentage allowed this season by the Grizzlies (5-11, 0-3 BSC), who dropped their eighth consecutive match.
The victory snapped Sacramento State's seven-match losing streak to Montana in Missoula.
The season-opening crowd saw a thrilling first set, a team that had a hard time putting a tight loss behind it in the second and then another battle in the third.
"We're really grateful to everyone who showed up. We got a lot of momentum from their energy," said Lawrence. "This is a team that's still forming, and that's really exciting. I hope what everyone saw tonight will bring people back."
(9/28/2017) VB: vs. Sacramento State (9.28.17)
Montana had three set-point opportunities but squandered two of them with service errors. The Grizzlies fought off the Hornets' first set point with a Mykaela Hammer kill. Sacramento State closed the deal on its second chance, blocking Montana for the 29-27 win.
Both teams carried that result into the second set. The Hornets raced out to an 11-3 lead and were never challenged, siding out at a 90.9 percent rate and putting down 16 kills to Montana's five.
"I'd like to say there wasn't a carryover, but I think there was," said Lawrence. "It was hard to have the opportunities we had and watch them slip away, and not have that in the back of our minds entering the second set.
"We were reeling a little bit and weren't quite able to reset and trust what we had done well in the first set. We lost sight of that."
A pair of kills from both Hammer and Missy Huddleston, who combined for 19 of Montana's 35 for the match, put the Grizzlies ahead 5-2 in the third set, but behind the play of senior setter Kennedy Kurtz, Sacramento State caught up and steadily pulled away to finish off its second consecutive 3-0 victory.
Kurtz, an athletic, dual-threat setter, totaled 36 assists and added seven kills on .462 hitting. The Hornets hit better than .300 for the second time this season.
"She plays like a senior. She's the heart and soul of that team," said Lawrence. "Even when they had off ball control and struggled with their passing, she got them in rhythm and gave her hitters confidence.
"To me, she's the piece that makes them click and makes it all work, and you've got to admire her for that."
Hammer finished with 10 kills on .400 hitting and 11 digs. Huddleston totaled nine kills and nine digs.
McKenzie Kramer added seven kills on .545 hitting and had a team-high three blocks. Shannon Casale finished with 15 digs to up her season average to 4.43 per set.
Montana will play at Montana State (4-8, 0-3 BSC) at 7 p.m. on Saturday. The Bobcats lost 3-0 in Bozeman on Thursday night to Portland State.
"I hope our fans saw what the coaches and what our team saw, that there were great moments that showed we can play with any team we go up against," said Lawrence, whose team lost in straight sets to Sacramento State, 29-27, 25-11, 25-19.
"If we can put more of those moments together, we're going to give ourselves more and more opportunities to win."
It was the ninth win in 11 matches for the Hornets (12-7, 3-0 BSC), who hit .322, the highest percentage allowed this season by the Grizzlies (5-11, 0-3 BSC), who dropped their eighth consecutive match.
The victory snapped Sacramento State's seven-match losing streak to Montana in Missoula.
The season-opening crowd saw a thrilling first set, a team that had a hard time putting a tight loss behind it in the second and then another battle in the third.
"We're really grateful to everyone who showed up. We got a lot of momentum from their energy," said Lawrence. "This is a team that's still forming, and that's really exciting. I hope what everyone saw tonight will bring people back."
Montana had three set-point opportunities but squandered two of them with service errors. The Grizzlies fought off the Hornets' first set point with a Mykaela Hammer kill. Sacramento State closed the deal on its second chance, blocking Montana for the 29-27 win.
Both teams carried that result into the second set. The Hornets raced out to an 11-3 lead and were never challenged, siding out at a 90.9 percent rate and putting down 16 kills to Montana's five.
"I'd like to say there wasn't a carryover, but I think there was," said Lawrence. "It was hard to have the opportunities we had and watch them slip away, and not have that in the back of our minds entering the second set.
"We were reeling a little bit and weren't quite able to reset and trust what we had done well in the first set. We lost sight of that."
A pair of kills from both Hammer and Missy Huddleston, who combined for 19 of Montana's 35 for the match, put the Grizzlies ahead 5-2 in the third set, but behind the play of senior setter Kennedy Kurtz, Sacramento State caught up and steadily pulled away to finish off its second consecutive 3-0 victory.
Kurtz, an athletic, dual-threat setter, totaled 36 assists and added seven kills on .462 hitting. The Hornets hit better than .300 for the second time this season.
"She plays like a senior. She's the heart and soul of that team," said Lawrence. "Even when they had off ball control and struggled with their passing, she got them in rhythm and gave her hitters confidence.
"To me, she's the piece that makes them click and makes it all work, and you've got to admire her for that."
Hammer finished with 10 kills on .400 hitting and 11 digs. Huddleston totaled nine kills and nine digs.
McKenzie Kramer added seven kills on .545 hitting and had a team-high three blocks. Shannon Casale finished with 15 digs to up her season average to 4.43 per set.
Montana will play at Montana State (4-8, 0-3 BSC) at 7 p.m. on Saturday. The Bobcats lost 3-0 in Bozeman on Thursday night to Portland State.
Team Stats
SAC
UM
Kills
52
35
Errors
13
18
Attempts
121
106
Hitting %
.322
.160
Points
62.0
40.0
Assists
50
32
Aces
6
2
Blocks
4.0
3.0
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
10
Aces
1
Blocks
1
Kills
9
Aces
1
Blocks
0
Kills
7
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Kills
3
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Players Mentioned
DS
/ VolleyballOH
/ VolleyballOH
/ VolleyballMB
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