Finally back home, Montana hosts Northern Colorado Saturday night

Montana vs. Northern Colorado / Saturday / 7 p.m. / Missoula, Mont.

After three consecutive road matches, Montana returns home on Saturday evening to host Northern Colorado. The Grizzlies have won five of their past six home matches dating back to the beginning on September.

Saturday won't be easy, however, as Montana takes on a Northern Colorado squad that enters the weekend in fifth place in the Big Sky Conference, at 6-4. A month ago in Greeley, UNC won in straight sets, out-hitting the Grizzlies .262 to .096.

UNC has won six of its last nine matches, but is just 1-3 on the road during that stretch. Another advantage for Montana is that the Bears will be playing on back-to-back nights, facing Montana State Friday night in Bozeman. The Grizzlies have been off since Tuesday evening.

Still, though, the challenge will be steep. Montana, which began conference play 5-2, is currently mired in a four-match losing skid. Five of Montana's seven remaining matches are against teams with winning conference records, but two of them are against Southern Utah (2-9) and Eastern Washington (0-11) – teams Montana beat last month. The top eight teams advance to the conference tournament, and Montana is currently tied with Montana State for seventh place. They both have a two-match lead over ninth-place Portland State.

As a thank you to the military, all active members, veterans and first responders will receive free admission to Saturday night's match. Additionally, fans can get in free by showing their Griz football ticket from earlier in the day.

We're back in action Saturday inside the WAG! Big match vs. Northern Colorado!#GrizVB #GoGriz #MontanaTough pic.twitter.com/sQ0ZVvgKmp
— Montana Griz VB (@MontanaGrizVB) October 24, 2018

About Montana

Despite a four-match losing streak since Oct. 13, Montana has already matched last year's win total (8).
The Grizzlies' five Big Sky wins are as many as they won in 2016 and 2017 combined.
Montana won five consecutive home matches from Sept. 1-Oct. 11.
The Grizzlies have played in seven five-set matches, going 5-2 and winning four in a row.
Senior OH Mykaela Hammer was named the Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 24. During conference play, she ranks third in the league with 3.89 kills per set.
MB Olivia Bradley ranks third in Big Sky play with a .381 hitting percentage, best among all freshmen.
Junior setter Ashley Watkins has more than 2,100 career assists. She currently ranks ninth in UM history. Her 10.97 assists-per-set average in 2018 ranks fifth during conference play.
Montana has used three liberos, but freshman Sarina Moreno has started each of the past 19 matches. Her 4.81 Big Sky digs-per-set average ranks sixth.
Three of Montana's losses have come to top-30 teams nationally.
UM improved in every statistical category from 2016 to 2017, including a 40-percent increase in blocking (132-spot improvement nationally).
The Grizzlies returned every player who earned a start in 2017, in addition to 99.9% of their kills, 99.5% of their blocks, 95.7% of their assists, 83.6% of their service aces and 81.6% of their digs.

If you're looking to be entertained, Ashley Watkins' questions for McKenzie Kramer will do the trick!#GrizVB #GoGriz #MontanaTough pic.twitter.com/3ugU1LXdFv
— Montana Griz VB (@MontanaGrizVB) October 25, 2018

About Northern Colorado

UNC enters the weekend with a 10-9 record overall, including a 6-4 mark in Big Sky play.
UNC ranks second in the Big Sky for kills (13.73 per set) and digs (17.89), and third for service aces (1.68) and opponent hitting percentage (.184).
On the flip side, UNC ranks last in the Big Sky for blocking (1.14), and was out-blocked by the Grizzlies last month in Greeley.
Sophomore S Daisy Schultz leads the Big Sky with 11.70 assists per set.
UNC has two players ranked in the top five in the Big Sky for service aces, with sophomore OH Taylor Muff and junior DS Taylor Els each recording 14 through 10 conference matches. Els also ranks second in the league with 6.00 digs per set and has more than 1,000 for her career.
Senior OH Kortney Lockey leads UNC's offense with 3.36 kills per set, and earlier this season recorded her 1,000^th career kill. She also ranks second on her team with 3.07 digs per set.
Creighton transfer Brittany Lawrence, a senior MB, ranks seventh in the Big Sky with a .342 hitting percentage.
The Bears are led by 14^th-year head coach Lyndsey Oates. UNC has won the Big Sky four times since 2009, in addition to a division title in 2014.

Series vs. the Bears
Montana is 9-18 all-time vs. Northern Colorado, and is looking for its first win in the series since 2013. Montana is 7-5 all-time on its home court.

Last month in Greeley, no Grizzly had more than six kills as Montana totaled just 29 on .096 hitting. Defensively, they were led by Maddy Marshall's 13 digs and Baily Permann's three blocks. In two matches as a freshman in 2017, Marshall averaged 9.0 kills per set. Missy Huddleston has been in double figures twice in her career vs. UNC.

Finally back home, Montana hosts Northern Colorado Saturday night

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Olivia Bradley

Mykaela Hammer

Missy Huddleston

McKenzie Kramer

Maddy Marshall

Sarina Moreno

Baily Permann

Ashley Watkins

University of Montana Athletics

Finally back home, Montana hosts Northern Colorado Saturday night

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Olivia Bradley

Mykaela Hammer

Missy Huddleston

McKenzie Kramer

Maddy Marshall

Sarina Moreno

Baily Permann

Ashley Watkins

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