Thursday, October 11
Missoula, Mont.
7:00 PM
Montana
vs
Eastern Washington
Photo by: Todd Goodrich
Grizzlies look to keep it rolling at home
10/10/2018 10:33:00 AM | Volleyball
Montana vs. Eastern Washington / Thursday / 7 p.m. / Missoula, Mont.
Montana vs. Idaho / Saturday / 2 p.m. / Missoula, Mont. – FREE youth clinic after match
Youth Day – all children 12 and under get in free, all summer-camp participants get in free by wearing their camp T-shirt Montana returns home after a weekend split at Southern Utah and Northern Arizona. The Grizzlies were once again resilient, coming from behind in a five-set victory over the Thunderbirds that saw Mykaela Hammer record 21 kills and Sarina Moreno tally 32 digs. Two nights later at Northern Arizona, Montana played well for two sets against the preseason No. 2 team before falling in three sets.
In years past, Montana would have celebrated a 1-1 road split. There was still plenty to be excited about, but the Grizzlies, having tasted success after a 3-0 start to Big Sky Conference play, now want more.
"It's fun to be where we are and to say, 'Here are our new problems. Let's go tackle these, because we're done with those old problems,'" second-year head coach Allison Lawrence said. "We continue to – and we have to if we want to reach our goals – push our boundaries."
The Grizzlies will have the opportunity to continue to do that this week at home, where they are riding a four-match home winning streak.
First up is Eastern Washington, a team that is winless is Big Sky play thus far but held the league's best record during non-conference play, beating two teams – Akron and UC Riverside – that Montana lost to.
"Eastern is winless in conference, but they're very dangerous," Lawrence said. "They did really well in preseason and beat some teams that some other Big Sky teams couldn't beat. It's going to be a battle, and I'm excited for it."
Montana has played and beaten Eastern Washington more than any other opponent aside from Montana State, but one of the most memorable wins was the most recent.
In the 2017 season finale, Montana beat Eastern Washington in three tight sets, playing what Lawrence said at the time was the team's best volleyball of the season. Without any seniors on roster, in many ways, that victory helped propel the team into the 2018 season, where Montana is off to its best conference start in nearly a decade.
Following its match vs. Eastern Washington on Thursday, the Grizzlies will host Idaho on Saturday afternoon. The Vandals, with six seniors and four all-conference players returning, were picked by the league's head coaches to win the Big Sky in the preseason poll.
Idaho (8-10 overall, 4-2 Big Sky entering Thursday's match at Montana State) has one of the top players at each position, including Kaela Straw (3.46 kills per set; fifth in Big Sky), Devonne Ryter (.357 hitting percentage; fourth), Alicia Wodke (4.94 digs per set; fourth), Haylee Mathis (9.90 assists per set; fifth), and Ryter and Nikki Ball (1.17 blocks per set; fourth).
"They're big, and we're physical," Lawrence said. "If we execute the way we've seen us do at times, we can slow them down."
The Vandals won 18 matches a year ago and advanced to the semifinals of the Big Sky tournament, and while they were clearly the better team overall, Montana felt as if it let one slip away against Idaho a year ago. Last November, playing in Missoula, Montana took a 2-1 lead on the Vandals.
Montana led Set 4 by as much as 19-13 and held a match-point opportunity at 26-25, before falling 30-28. In the deciding set, the Grizzlies led 13-11 but couldn't hold on, dropping a 19-17 decision.
"I think our last meeting with them showed us what we were capable of," Lawrence said. "It was one of the best matches we've played in the last couple of years. It was right at the end of the year, so it didn't help us last season, but I think mentally it was a turning point."
Montana won just three conference matches a year ago, but that showing on the final weekend of November – a five-set heartbreaker to Idaho and a three-set win over Eastern Washington – gave the Grizzlies a confidence moving forward that they could be a team that could play with anybody in the league. Something that's now showing up on the court.
"I think we're more healthy and productive, both in practice and in matches," Lawrence said. "We're tasting some success, and now we have to keep pushing our standards and keep pushing our level of play."
Saturday is youth day, with all children 12 and under getting in for free. Additionally, all girls and boys who participated in a Montana volleyball camp over the summer can receive free admittance by wearing their camp shirt to the match. Following the match, the team is holding a free youth clinic on the court. The clinic is free but is capped at 40 people, and advanced registration is required.
ABOUT EASTERN WASHINGTON
SERIES VS. THE EAGLES
Montana is 54-40 all-time against EWU (27-13 at home). The Grizzlies have played and beaten the Eagles more than any other opponent aside from Montana State. The two teams have played at least once every season since 1975. Montana is looking for back-to-back wins over EWU for the first time since winning three in a row in 2014-15. The Grizzlies ended their 2017 season with a 3-0 home sweep over EWU. In that match, Maddy Marshall had 11 kills on .320 hitting, in addition to 11 digs.
ABOUT IDAHO
SERIES VS. THE VANDALS
The series vs. Idaho dates back to Montana's first-ever match, in 1975. The Grizzlies are 27-35 vs. the Vandals, including 13-14 at home. UM took Idaho to five sets at home in 2017, losing a heartbreaker that included a Set-4 score of 30-28 and Set-5 score of 19-17. In that match, four Grizzlies had double-doubles, including 20 kills and 17 digs from Mykaela Hammer, 16 kills and 15 digs from Missy Huddleston, 13 kills and 14 digs from Maddy Marshall and a career-high 66 assists and 13 digs from Ashley Watkins. Across two matches in 2016, Alexis Urbach averaged 15.0 kills on .398 hitting vs. the Vandals. Montana is looking for just its second win vs. Idaho since 2000.
TALKING HISTORY
Montana has won five of its past seven matches entering the week, and along the way has accomplished several rare feats.
IN THE RANKINGS
Several individuals rank among the Big Sky leaders for several statistical categories:
CLUTCH DOWN THE STRETCH
Of Montana's 18 matches, seven have gone to five sets, including three already during Big Sky play. Montana is 5-2 in five-setters and a perfect 3-0 during league action.
"Our fifth-set stats are off the charts," head coach Allison Lawrence said. "There's no more pressure than a fifth set, and we have the ability to step up our game during pressure situations."
In the fifth set, Montana has more kills, digs, and service aces than its opponents, and is hitting .051 higher (.217 compared to .166) than its season average. Despite the fifth set being a shortened frame (going to 15 points instead of 25), senior Mykaela Hammer is averaging 3.14 kills per set on .386 hitting during deciding frames.
LOOKING AHEAD
The Grizzlies will reach the halfway point of its conference season next week, traveling to Portland State (Oct. 18) and Sacramento State (Oct. 20). The Grizzlies opened Big Sky play with a five-set, come-from-behind win over the Hornets last month and earned a three-set sweep over the Vikings.
Youth Day – all children 12 and under get in free, all summer-camp participants get in free by wearing their camp T-shirt Montana returns home after a weekend split at Southern Utah and Northern Arizona. The Grizzlies were once again resilient, coming from behind in a five-set victory over the Thunderbirds that saw Mykaela Hammer record 21 kills and Sarina Moreno tally 32 digs. Two nights later at Northern Arizona, Montana played well for two sets against the preseason No. 2 team before falling in three sets.
In years past, Montana would have celebrated a 1-1 road split. There was still plenty to be excited about, but the Grizzlies, having tasted success after a 3-0 start to Big Sky Conference play, now want more.
"It's fun to be where we are and to say, 'Here are our new problems. Let's go tackle these, because we're done with those old problems,'" second-year head coach Allison Lawrence said. "We continue to – and we have to if we want to reach our goals – push our boundaries."
The Grizzlies will have the opportunity to continue to do that this week at home, where they are riding a four-match home winning streak.
First up is Eastern Washington, a team that is winless is Big Sky play thus far but held the league's best record during non-conference play, beating two teams – Akron and UC Riverside – that Montana lost to.
"Eastern is winless in conference, but they're very dangerous," Lawrence said. "They did really well in preseason and beat some teams that some other Big Sky teams couldn't beat. It's going to be a battle, and I'm excited for it."
Montana has played and beaten Eastern Washington more than any other opponent aside from Montana State, but one of the most memorable wins was the most recent.
In the 2017 season finale, Montana beat Eastern Washington in three tight sets, playing what Lawrence said at the time was the team's best volleyball of the season. Without any seniors on roster, in many ways, that victory helped propel the team into the 2018 season, where Montana is off to its best conference start in nearly a decade.
Following its match vs. Eastern Washington on Thursday, the Grizzlies will host Idaho on Saturday afternoon. The Vandals, with six seniors and four all-conference players returning, were picked by the league's head coaches to win the Big Sky in the preseason poll.
Idaho (8-10 overall, 4-2 Big Sky entering Thursday's match at Montana State) has one of the top players at each position, including Kaela Straw (3.46 kills per set; fifth in Big Sky), Devonne Ryter (.357 hitting percentage; fourth), Alicia Wodke (4.94 digs per set; fourth), Haylee Mathis (9.90 assists per set; fifth), and Ryter and Nikki Ball (1.17 blocks per set; fourth).
"They're big, and we're physical," Lawrence said. "If we execute the way we've seen us do at times, we can slow them down."
The Vandals won 18 matches a year ago and advanced to the semifinals of the Big Sky tournament, and while they were clearly the better team overall, Montana felt as if it let one slip away against Idaho a year ago. Last November, playing in Missoula, Montana took a 2-1 lead on the Vandals.
Montana led Set 4 by as much as 19-13 and held a match-point opportunity at 26-25, before falling 30-28. In the deciding set, the Grizzlies led 13-11 but couldn't hold on, dropping a 19-17 decision.
"I think our last meeting with them showed us what we were capable of," Lawrence said. "It was one of the best matches we've played in the last couple of years. It was right at the end of the year, so it didn't help us last season, but I think mentally it was a turning point."
Montana won just three conference matches a year ago, but that showing on the final weekend of November – a five-set heartbreaker to Idaho and a three-set win over Eastern Washington – gave the Grizzlies a confidence moving forward that they could be a team that could play with anybody in the league. Something that's now showing up on the court.
"I think we're more healthy and productive, both in practice and in matches," Lawrence said. "We're tasting some success, and now we have to keep pushing our standards and keep pushing our level of play."
Saturday is youth day, with all children 12 and under getting in for free. Additionally, all girls and boys who participated in a Montana volleyball camp over the summer can receive free admittance by wearing their camp shirt to the match. Following the match, the team is holding a free youth clinic on the court. The clinic is free but is capped at 40 people, and advanced registration is required.
Following our match on Saturday, we're hosting a FREE youth clinic!
— Montana Griz VB (@MontanaGrizVB) October 8, 2018
Reserve your spot now! https://t.co/KzrNz6CCl1 pic.twitter.com/QnxFeD7qKM
ABOUT EASTERN WASHINGTON
- Eastern Washington led all Big Sky schools with an 8-4 record during non-conference play, earning wins over Akron and UC Riverside, but is 0-6 to begin Big Sky play. EWU's loss last week to Portland State (3-2) was the only conference match in which the Eagles have won a set.
- Sophomore L Catelyn Linke ranks seventh in the Big Sky with 21 service aces, while teammate MaKenna Davis (sophomore OH) ranks 10th with 18.
- The Eagles have had seven different players lead them in kills in a match this season, including senior OH Alexandra Espinosa (six times) and freshman MB Kennedy Kaminsky (five).
- During conference play, EWU ranks last in every statistical category aside from blocks (10th out of 11).
- Overall, EWU ranks much higher statistically, including third for digs (16.20 per set).
- Leslie Flores-Cloud is in her first season leading the Eagles. She wasn't hired until June 15.
SERIES VS. THE EAGLES
Montana is 54-40 all-time against EWU (27-13 at home). The Grizzlies have played and beaten the Eagles more than any other opponent aside from Montana State. The two teams have played at least once every season since 1975. Montana is looking for back-to-back wins over EWU for the first time since winning three in a row in 2014-15. The Grizzlies ended their 2017 season with a 3-0 home sweep over EWU. In that match, Maddy Marshall had 11 kills on .320 hitting, in addition to 11 digs.
ABOUT IDAHO
- Idaho enters its Thursday match vs. Montana State with a 10-8 record overall, including a 4-2 mark in conference play. With six seniors, the Vandals were picked to win the Big Sky Conference.
- Idaho returned four starters and its libero from last year's team that won 18 matches and advanced to the semifinals of the Big Sky tournament. Among the returners are OH Sarah Sharp (2017 first-team All-Big Sky), MB Devonne Ryter (2017 first-team All-Big Sky), OH Kaela Straw (2017 second-team All-Big Sky) and OH/L Alicia Wodke (2017 Big Sky Newcomer of the Year).
- Straw leads Idaho with 3.46 kills per set (fifth in BSC), and last weekend racked up her 1,000th career kill.
- Ryter's .357 hitting percentage is the fourth-best in the Big Sky.
- Wodke ranks fourth in the Big Sky with 4.94 digs per set.
- Senior S Haylee Mathis ranks fifth in the Big Sky with 9.90 assists per set.
- The Vandals have two of the league's top blockers, with Ryter and freshman Nikki Ball each averaging 1.17 per set (fourth in BSC).
SERIES VS. THE VANDALS
The series vs. Idaho dates back to Montana's first-ever match, in 1975. The Grizzlies are 27-35 vs. the Vandals, including 13-14 at home. UM took Idaho to five sets at home in 2017, losing a heartbreaker that included a Set-4 score of 30-28 and Set-5 score of 19-17. In that match, four Grizzlies had double-doubles, including 20 kills and 17 digs from Mykaela Hammer, 16 kills and 15 digs from Missy Huddleston, 13 kills and 14 digs from Maddy Marshall and a career-high 66 assists and 13 digs from Ashley Watkins. Across two matches in 2016, Alexis Urbach averaged 15.0 kills on .398 hitting vs. the Vandals. Montana is looking for just its second win vs. Idaho since 2000.
Your #GrizVB team returns home this week!
— Montana Griz VB (@MontanaGrizVB) October 8, 2018
🏐 Thursday vs. EWU
🏐 Saturday vs. Idaho pic.twitter.com/rbC6M1U7sy
TALKING HISTORY
Montana has won five of its past seven matches entering the week, and along the way has accomplished several rare feats.
- The Grizzlies opened Big Sky Conference play with three consecutive victories. It marked the fifth time in the 31-year history in the league that UM started Big Sky play 3-0, including the first time since 2006 and second since 1995.
- Currently at 4-2, it is the 10th time a UM team has won four of its first six Big Sky matches, and the first time since 2010. Of the nine previous occasions, seven happened between 1988-1994.
- The Grizzlies are currently on a four-match home winning streak, their longest since 2011.
- From Sept. 15-25, Montana won four consecutive matches overall, its longest winning streak since 2013.
Get to know senior setter Brittany Gay in this week's Senior Sessions. #GrizVB is home for two matches this week: Thursday vs. Eastern Washington, Saturday vs. Idaho! #GoGriz pic.twitter.com/7rSzcLHPZO
— Montana Griz VB (@MontanaGrizVB) October 9, 2018
IN THE RANKINGS
Several individuals rank among the Big Sky leaders for several statistical categories:
- Mykaela Hammer's 3.71 kills-per-set average in Big Sky play ranks fifth.
- Ashley Watkins ranks fifth in Big Sky play with 10.57 assists per set.
- Sarina Moreno ranks sixth in Big Sky play with 5.00 digs per set.
- Olivia Bradley's .272 hitting percentage is the highest among freshmen in the Big Sky Conference (10th overall). Her .524 hitting percentage vs. Montana State (14 kills) is the best by a UM player this season.
- Missy Huddleston's 24 kills vs. Gonzaga are the fourth-most by a Big Sky athlete this season.
- Ashley Watkins' 46 assists vs. Portland State are the most in a three-set match this season.
CLUTCH DOWN THE STRETCH
Of Montana's 18 matches, seven have gone to five sets, including three already during Big Sky play. Montana is 5-2 in five-setters and a perfect 3-0 during league action.
"Our fifth-set stats are off the charts," head coach Allison Lawrence said. "There's no more pressure than a fifth set, and we have the ability to step up our game during pressure situations."
In the fifth set, Montana has more kills, digs, and service aces than its opponents, and is hitting .051 higher (.217 compared to .166) than its season average. Despite the fifth set being a shortened frame (going to 15 points instead of 25), senior Mykaela Hammer is averaging 3.14 kills per set on .386 hitting during deciding frames.
LOOKING AHEAD
The Grizzlies will reach the halfway point of its conference season next week, traveling to Portland State (Oct. 18) and Sacramento State (Oct. 20). The Grizzlies opened Big Sky play with a five-set, come-from-behind win over the Hornets last month and earned a three-set sweep over the Vikings.
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Volleyball
S
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
DS
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
S
/ VolleyballNational Girls and Women in Sports Day 2026
Monday, March 30
Student-Athlete Spotlight: Maddie Pyles (Griz Volleyball)
Thursday, January 15
Griz Volleyball: Name The Person
Tuesday, December 30
Griz Volleyball: Name The Object
Tuesday, December 30
