Montana eager to open 2018 volleyball season

Montana opens the 2018 season with a tournament co-hosted by Cal State Fullerton and UC Riverside. The Grizzlies will play both of the host teams, in addition to Akron. Other teams traveling to southern California are Eastern Washington and UMass Lowell. Video and live statistics will be provided for free for all matches (links below).

Montana at UC Riverside / Friday, Aug. 24 / 1 p.m. MT / Riverside, Calif.

Montana at Cal State Fullerton / Saturday, Aug. 25 / 12 p.m. MT / Fullerton, Calif.

Montana vs. Akron / Saturday, Aug. 25 / 6 p.m. MT / Fullerton, Calif.

NEW-SEASON EXCITEMENT
A new season presents a fresh slate for each team, but it also gives teams an opportunity to get out of the monotonous routine and daily grind of fall camp. It's one of the many reasons why second-year head coach Allison Lawrence is antsy to begin competition this Friday.

"We could not be more excited to be starting our season," she said. "Fall camp always has that element where you get to the end of it and you feel like there's still some things you could be working on, but the way that you're going to get better faster is now with an opponent across the net. We're ready to be pushed in new ways."

A new season presents excitement, but also some challenges. With new teams and new rosters, there's not a ton of ability to scout each opponent. While the team will still watch some of last year's film, focusing on the returning players, there's bound to still be an element of surprise. So instead of spending as much time on the opponents, much of the focus remains on the Griz.

"We'll talk a lot about the things that we can do on our side, and what we can do to hopefully force our opponents to do," Lawrence said. "We want to be the aggressors in these matches this weekend and force our opponents to make adjustments before we have to."

It also helps that Montana will be able to watch both Cal State Fullerton and Akron – Saturday's opponents – in person.

Montana hopes to get the 2018 season started on the right foot, with a couple wins in southern California. But regardless of the results – good or bad – Lawrence stressed the importance of staying level headed during a long season.

"We're obviously playing to win and be competitors in every moment of every match we're in, but it would be great to find momentum and confidence as well, and head into next week's really tough home tournament feeling like we've found our rhythm and found our stride.

"The first weekend is always an extension of the main priority of fall camp, which is to build trust. Now to have an opponent across the net and be tested, but still stay together as a team no matter who's on the court, will show us exactly how much trust we have and will give us confidence in what we're doing."

ABOUT UC RIVERSIDE

UCR is coming off of a 10-18 season, going 2-14 in the Big West and 5-6 on its home court.
UCR was picked to finish eighth out of nine teams in the Big West preseason coaches' poll.
The Highlanders return three of the eight players who started at least 12 matches.
Yuliya Ushakova and libero Nicole Rodriguez were named to the Big West All-Freshman team last fall.
UCR led the Big West for digs per set and attacks per set in 2017, but lost three of its top four attackers.
Of the seven players to average at least 1.00 kill per set, just two return in 2018. However, the Highlanders retained their top two blockers (Ushakova, 0.79 bps; Kat Lowry, 0.78 bps), their libero and both setters from a 6-2 system.
Michelle Patton-Coleman is in her 6th season leading UCR.

SERIES VS. THE HIGHLANDERS
Montana is 2-0 all-time against UC Riverside, defeating the Highlanders in 1987 (3-0) and 2008 (3-1). This will be the first time playing in Riverside.

ABOUT CAL STATE FULLERTON

CSUF went 5-24 in 2017, including 1-15 in Big West play and 3-12 at home.
The Titans were picked to finish last in the Big West preseason coaches' poll.
CSUF returns seven of the nine players who earned starts in 2017, including its top two attackers, its libero and both setters from a 6-2 system.
Additionally, the Titans added 12 newcomers (eight freshmen, four transfers) to their roster.
Senior Madeline Schneider earned Big West Honorable Mention accolades in 2017, leading CSUF for kills (3.23 per set; 10th in Big West).

SERIES VS. THE TITANS
Saturday will mark the sixth meeting between Montana and Cal State Fullerton. The Titans are 4-1, but Montana won most-recently, a 3-0 sweep in Lubbock, Texas, in 2013. The Grizzlies are 0-2 vs. CSUF in Fullerton, Calif.

ABOUT AKRON

Akron went 6-22 in 2017, closing the season on a 13-match losing skid.
The Zips return 10 players from a year ago, including four starters.
Senior OH Kayla Gwozdz led the Zips with 3.37 kills per set.
Taylor Sharrits started at libero as a freshman, averaging 4.07 digs per set.
Emily Weigand ranked second in the MAC with 9.63 assists per set. She also led the team for service aces and ranked second for digs and blocks.
In last weekend's exhibition match, a five-set loss to Cleveland State, Weigand and Sharrits had double-doubles, while Gwozdz and Alexis Adleta had 12 kills apiece.
As a team, Akron ranked in the top 20% nationally for service aces (1.44 per set) and return 90% of last year's total.

SERIES VS. THE ZIPS
Akron and Montana have met just once before, in 1995 in Missoula. The Grizzlies won, 3-1.

SEASON OPENERS
Montana has won more than half of its season openers over its history as a program, going 23-20 (.535) since 1975. The Grizzlies have won their season opener in two of their past three seasons, including last year vs. UTEP, which was Allison Lawrence's debut as head coach.

Montana and UC Riverside have opened a season together before. A decade ago, in 2008, the Grizzlies earned a 3-0 season-opening win over UC Riverside in Missoula.

RIVERSIDE CONNECTION
Senior outside hitter Alexis Urbach began her collegiate career at UC Riverside, playing in all 29 matches as a true freshman. Urbach finished third on the team for kills (2.16 per set) and fourth for service aces (20). Additionally, junior middle blocker McKenzie Kramer is a native of nearby Murrieta, Calif., less than 40 miles from Riverside and 60 from Fullerton.

PROJECTED STRENGTHS
Returning every major contributor from a season ago, this year's focus has been less about replacing or finding new pieces, and more about getting the most out of what the Griz have.

Lawrence felt as though Montana's offense from its outside hitters was a strength last year, and UM will continue to rely on them.

"We're athletic, we're high, we're fast," Lawrence said of her outside hitters. "I think our pins help steady us and help get us out of situations when things get a little bit rocky."

Adding to the outsides, the Grizzlies have been working on becoming more balanced and getting the middles more involved in the offense.

"When we were successful last year, I think we saw that our middles were effective," Lawrence said. "We have some talent in the middle, so it's a matter of getting them to be more terminal and getting them opportunities."

WE'RE (ALL) BACK!
The 2017 season was a rebuilding year, with a new head coach and zero seniors on roster. But the Grizzlies made promising strides a year ago, and now have the benefit of returning every statistical leader. In fact, every player who earned a start in 2017 is back.

Returning Production
Kills: 99.9%
Blocks: 99.5%
Assists: 95.7%
Service Aces: 83.6%
Digs: 81.6%

Among the starters is kills leader Mykaela Hammer, who averaged 3.22 kills per set, in addition to setter Ashley Watkins and libero Silerolia Gaogao. Watkins (9.90 assists per set) and Gaogao (4.07 digs per set) ranked sixth in the Big Sky Conference for assists and digs, respectively.

TRENDING UP
Montana made great strides during its first season under Allison Lawrence, seeing a three-win improvement from the 2016 campaign. UM improved in every statistical category from 2016 to 2017, including a 40-percent increase in blocking (132-spot improvement nationally).

It was a similar trend in Big Sky Conference play, with Montana improving its ranking in hitting percentage, opponent hitting, assists, kills, blocks and service aces.

WELCOME TO UM
In addition to returning nearly every contributor from 2017, the Grizzlies also added five freshmen to their roster. The newcomers made an immediate impact during fall camp, with Lawrence praising each of them for what they brought to the court.

"Olivia (Bradley) is fast and she thinks on her feet," Lawrence said of the Nampa, Idaho, native. "When she doesn't know what she's supposed to be doing – which is rare – she kind of pushes through it and grinds it out."

Lawrence also highlighted outside hitter Elsa Godwin (Missoula, Mont.) for her ability to mix up shots and make the fellow pin hitters think in that way, as well. Defensive specialists Sarina Moreno (Missoula, Mont.) and Kelsey Nestegard (Pullman, Wash.) also have pushed the returners with their ability to extend rallies, while setter Casey Stites (Bozeman, Mont.) was complimented for her ability to run a quick offense. Stites enrolled at UM in January and participated in spring practices with the Griz.

All five are quick learners, with Lawrence saying during fall camp that she hasn't had to adjust to accommodate the newcomers.

"It's crazy how much they've blended in. They really carry themselves like any of our other players. They don't stand out in a new-person way at all. All coaches can relate to that 'freshman mistake' or 'freshman moment', but I'm not having to do that."

LOOKING AHEAD TO A BIG WEEKEND IN MISSOULA
Following Montana's trip to southern California, the Grizzlies will return home to host a tournament of their own – and it's a big one. Montana's first home tournament in four seasons features regional foe Gonzaga, in addition to Utah and Iowa State – two teams that begin the season nationally ranked. The two-day tournament features four matches on Friday, Aug. 31, and two on Saturday, Sept. 1, prior to Griz football's season opener vs. Northern Iowa.

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Great way to spend our morning, helping @umontana freshmen move into their dorms!#GrizVB #GrizWelcome pic.twitter.com/H4BjhAkIhC
— Montana Griz VB (@MontanaGrizVB) August 22, 2018

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Players Mentioned

Silerolia Gaogao

Elsa Godwin

Mykaela Hammer

McKenzie Kramer

Sarina Moreno

Kelsey Nestegard

Casey Stites

Alexis Urbach

Ashley Watkins

University of Montana Athletics