Montana caps home schedule with big matches, including Senior Night

Montana vs. Northern Arizona / Thursday / 7 p.m. / Missoula, Mont.
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Montana vs. Southern Utah / Saturday / 7 p.m. / Missoula, Mont. (Senior Night)
Video: Pluto TV (ch. 537)
Stats: Live Stats

Montana won't be playing for revenge this week. The Griz have bigger things on their minds as they continue to make progress throughout the second half of the season.

But revenge sure would taste sweet.

First, revenge for a loss last Friday that Montana desperately wishes it could have back. A day after earning its best win of the season – a 3-2 victory at Idaho, Montana's first in Moscow since 1991 – the Grizzlies dropped a five-set heartbreaker at Eastern Washington, a team the Griz had swept in Missoula a month prior.

Then there's the revenge over this week's opponents.

Montana was oh-so-close to a signature win over Northern Arizona last month, taking the first two sets off of the preseason favorites and leading 13-9 in the fifth set, before the veteran Lumberjacks rallied to win the final six points and complete the comeback.

Montana beat Southern Utah in Cedar City last fall, only to host the Thunderbirds on Senior Night and come out flat and fall in straight sets. A lot was on the line that night, as the Grizzlies were fighting for their first Big Sky tournament berth since 2015.

Head coach Allison Lawrence felt like too much focus was put on that match, and making the tournament. It's a major reason why there's been little talk about it this year, as the Grizzlies reach the final stretch of the regular season.

"We need to not worry so much about the tournament," Lawrence said. "It's hard to win matches when the only thing you're focused on is, 'We have to win to get to the tournament.'"

Instead, the focus will remain on continuing to improve each match and letting everything else take care of itself.

"Those realities are what they are," Lawrence continued. "I want us to be relaxed and go into every match that way. I want us to let those results happen by us playing our best in the moment every night."

Despite the loss at Eastern Washington, Montana is on an upward trajectory.

Playing with several freshmen and without its starting setter, the Grizzlies didn't win their first set of the season until the ninth match. They went 1-10 in non-conference play. During the second phase of the season – the first half of Big Sky play – Montana didn't gain many more results, going 1-8, but were more competitive, winning at least a set in six of the nine matches.

Now, the Grizzlies are in the third phase of the season, where they've won three of five matches – two on the road to teams ranked in the upper-half of the conference standings – and are playing their best volleyball of the season.

If they can keep improving day by day, as the focus has been, there may be a fourth phase to the season.

"We're doing things and are making noise," Lawrence said. "We feel like we can beat anybody in the conference. We've had our backs against the wall, in opponents' gyms, and have pushed through. We're showing that we can have success and can physically finish matches. We just have to keep building off of that and trusting that more breakthroughs will come."

PROMOTIONS THIS WEEK
Montana is currently competing against Montana State in the annual Can The Cats food drive. Fans can participate and get free admission to Thursday's match by bringing five canned-food items. The first 100 students on Thursday will get a free Griz volleyball T-shirt; students receive free admission with their Griz Card. Additionally, all fans can take advantage of half-price hot dogs. Prior to the match, Montana will celebrate parents' night.

On Saturday, Montana will celebrate its senior class – Janna Grimsrud, Missy Huddleston and Ashley Watkins. Fans can receive free admission by showing their Griz football ticket vs. Weber State (Saturday at 1 p.m.).

You'll want to be inside Dahlberg Arena on Thursday!

Free T-shirts for the first 100 @umontana students and half-price hot dogs for everyone!#GrizVB #GoGriz #UpWithMontana pic.twitter.com/d6VoutrvoD
— Montana Griz VB (@MontanaGrizVB) November 13, 2019

GRIZ BITS

Montana has won three of its past five matches and has won at least a set in seven consecutive and 11 of 12.
Montana has been in double figures for blocking five times in the past six matches, moving up to fourth in Big Sky play with 2.36 blocks per set. The Grizzlies had a season-high 16 stuffs last week at Idaho. She has recorded at least 15 kills in 10 of Montana's past 12 matches. She has twice reached 21 kills, including at Montana State, when she hit .395.
In six matches since being moved to the middle blocker position, senior Missy Huddleston is averaging 3.12 kills per set on .292 hitting, in addition to 2.27 digs and 1.35 blocks per set. Her blocking leads the Big Sky Conference during that span. Huddleston has been named the Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Week each of the past two weeks.
Freshman outside hitter Amethyst Harper continues to make a case for freshman of the year. She ranks fourth in Big Sky play with 3.75 kills per set.
Setter Ashley Watkins has moved up to fifth in Big Sky play with 9.80 assists per set this season. The senior has six double-doubles on the season, including three in Montana's past four matches. In Montana's win at Idaho, she also had four service aces. Watkins is the seventh player in school history to surpass 3,000 career assists and will finish her career with more than 100 career matches played, including more than 90 starts.
Redshirt freshman Elsa Godwin is averaging 0.37 aces per set, which ranks seventh in Big Sky play. She had nine aces in a two-match span in early October.
Despite playing the past four matches with a broken finger, senior middle blocker Janna Grimsrud still ranks 10^th in Big Sky play with 1.00 blocks per set. She has led the Griz in blocking 16 times this season, in addition to ranking third on the team with 2.19 kills per set.
Sarina Moreno is averaging 4.00 digs per set over the past five matches, including 23 in a four-set match vs. Northern Colorado. During that span, she also has eight service aces.
Freshman defensive specialist Isabelle Garrido has at least nine digs in each of Montana's past six matches, averaging 3.00 digs per set during that span. Prior to her current run, she was averaging 1.70.
In six matches since moving to the right side, freshman Catie Semadeni is hitting .212 (1.23 kills per set). Through her first 15 matches, she was hitting -.059 (1.10 kills per set).

A WIN 28 YEARS IN THE MAKING
Montana earned a win at Idaho last Thursday that was significant on many levels:

It was Montana's first win in Moscow since 1991 – before any current Grizzly was born. The Grizzlies had previously lost 14 consecutive road matches against Idaho, and hadn't beat the Vandals at all since 2006.
Montana was the first Big Sky school to beat Idaho in Moscow this season. The Vandals were previously 5-0 in Big Sky play in their home gym.
It marked the second time this season Montana has overcome an 0-2 deficit on the road. The Grizzlies lost the first two sets (25-20, 25-19) before winning the final three (25-20, 25-23, 18-16). Montana fought off two Idaho match-point opportunities before winning on a block. Montana never trailed by more than three points over the final three sets.
Idaho entered the match hitting .237 on the season (second in the Big Sky), but the Grizzlies held the Vandals to a .161 clip.
The Grizzlies posted a season-high 16 blocks, including four blocks over Montana's final eight points of the match.

It's a great week to beat the Vandals. What do you say, @MontanaGrizFB?!? #GrizVB #GoGriz #UpWithMontana pic.twitter.com/vUcWo6tuER
— Montana Griz VB (@MontanaGrizVB) November 8, 2019

HUDDLESTON HONORED AGAIN
Missy Huddleston's transition to the middle blocker position continues to reap individual and team benefits. The senior volleyball player was named the Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Week for the second week in a row on Monday. Huddleston is the second Grizzly ever to win back-to-back player-of-the-week honors, joining Claudia Houle, who did so to begin the 2005 season.

In two road contests, Huddleston averaged 1.30 blocks and 2.30 digs per set. She was recognized for her defense, but her offense might have been more impressive. Huddleston averaged 3.00 kills per set on .349 hitting, including a 17-kill, 0-error performance at Eastern Washington (.586 hitting percentage). She recorded a double-double in both matches.

In Montana's road win at Idaho, Huddleston had a team-high eight blocks, to go along with her 13 kills and 11 digs. Trailing 2-0, the senior was instrumental in Montana's come-from-behind win. She served during a 5-0 run in Set 4 to help turn a 19-16 deficit into a 21-19 lead. Her impact was even greater in the deciding fifth set. With Montana trailing 12-10, the Grizzlies rallied for an 18-16 win, with Huddleston recording three blocks and a kill over Montana's final eight points.

The following night at Eastern Washington, Huddleston had five blocks, 12 digs and the 17 kills at an astonishing .586 clip. She scored Montana's first four points in Set 3 and later in the frame, with the score tied at 20-20, had kills on three of Montana's final five points to extend the match. Montana took control of the fourth set with a 9-4 run, including two Huddleston blocks.

In six matches since being moved to the middle blocker position, Huddleston is averaging 3.12 kills per set on .292 hitting, in addition to 2.27 digs and 1.35 blocks per set. Her blocking leads the Big Sky Conference during that span.

Back-To-Back!

Congrats to Missy Huddleston, who repeats as #BigSkyVB Defensive Player of the Week!

📰 https://t.co/dCaz2wzsQk #GrizVB #GoGriz #UpWithMontana pic.twitter.com/GCNaJRtMLV
— Montana Griz VB (@MontanaGrizVB) November 11, 2019

THE FINAL STRETCH
With four matches remaining, Montana remains in the hunt for a conference tournament berth. After going 1-8 through the first half of conference play, Montana is 3-2 over the past five matches, with two of the wins coming on the road to teams ranked in the top half of the conference standings.

Allison Lawrence is taking a one-game-at-a-time approach and is trying to avoid the focus being on qualifying for the tournament for the second year in a row.

While the team is refraining from what-if hypotheticals, Montana likely has to win at least two of its final four matches. The Grizzlies are currently in ninth place ahead of Eastern Washington and Idaho State. They are one win behind Portland State for a top-eight spot, but own a potential tiebreaker over the Vikings due to their head-to-head win in late October.

Portland State has remaining games against Idaho State, Weber State, Sacramento State and at Northern Colorado. The Eagles still host Northern Colorado and travel to Northern Arizona and Southern Utah. Idaho State is at Portland State and Sacramento State this week before hosting Montana State and Montana.

Northern Colorado has clinched a share of the regular-season title. Weber State and Northern Arizona have also clinched tournament berths.

SCOUTING NORTHERN ARIZONA

Northern Arizona is 16-10, including 9-5 in Big Sky play. The Lumberjacks have won six of their past seven matches to qualify for the conference tournament (currently tied for second). NAU is the only team to beat first-place Northern Colorado this season.
NAU is coming off of a strong weekend with sweeps over Sacramento State and Portland State, out-hitting their opponents .262 to .037 while averaging 3.00 aces per set and 2.50 blocks per set.
As a team, NAU ranks in the top 50 nationally for aces (1.64 per set, 39^th), digs (16.69 per set 40^th) and opponent hitting percentage (.177, 50^th).
Senior Abby Akin is one of the nation's top players, ranking eight in the NCAA for hitting (.419) and 48^th for blocking (1.23 per set). She is 10 blocks away from 500 career stuffs (second in school history) and is on pace to become the school's all-time sets played leader.
Akin, a three-time All-Big Sky selection, has twice earned Big Sky Player of the Week honors this fall. She leads the Big Sky for hitting percentage, and also ranks in the top 10 for blocking and service aces.
Junior right-side attacker Heaven Harris, the 2018 Big Sky Championships MVP, missed 11 consecutive matches (injury) before returning last week. On the season, she is averaging 2.96 kills per set on .312 hitting.
Senior outside hitter Sydney Lema is 23 digs away from third place in NAU history.
With all-conference picks Akin, Harris and Ryann Davis back from last year's championship team, NAU was the unanimous favorite to repeat as Big Sky champions
Ken Murphy is 147-66 in six-plus seasons in Flagstaff, winning a pair of Big Sky Conference regular-season and tournament championships (2015 and 2018).

SERIES VS. THE LUMBERJACKS
Northern Arizona has won seven consecutive matches over Montana to take a 34-33 advantage in the all-time series. The Grizzlies are 17-14 against the Lumberjacks at home, but haven't won since 2011.

Playing the Big Sky preseason favorites, Montana nearly pulled off the biggest upset of the season last month. The Grizzlies won the first two sets and led the fifth set 13-9 before the Lumberjacks won the final six points to complete the comeback. Despite the loss, Montana out-hit (.239 to .222) out-dug (81 to 73) and out-blocked (12 to 4) NAU.

Janna Grimsrud had one of the top matches of her career, tallying 19 kills on .462 hitting, in addition to six blocks. Amethyst Harper had 18 kills at a .310 clip, in addition to 19 digs. Sarina Moreno added 27 digs.

Griz assistant coach Janae Vander Ploeg was the Big Sky Conference MVP in 2015 while playing for the Lumberjacks.

SCOUTING SOUTHERN UTAH

SUU enters Thursday's match at Montana State with a 13-13 record overall, including a 6-8 mark in Big Sky play.
After beginning Big Sky play 3-2, the Thunderbirds are just 3-6 over the past month.
In a 3-0 win over Portland State last week, the Thunderbirds had two players with 20 or more kills – senior outside hitter Shannon Webb (23) and junior outside hitter Stacey Hone (20). Both Webb (3.87, third) and Hone (3.20, 10^th) rank among the Big Sky leaders for kills per set. Webb is also averaging 11.1 attacks per set, which ranks 41^st nationally.
Sophomore setter Corrin Peterson is averaging 0.37 service aces per set, which ranks sixth in the Big Sky. She also is fourth with 10.33 assists per set.
During Big Sky play, sophomore middle blocker Katie Montgomery's .303 hitting percentage ranks seventh.
Peter Hoyer is in his second season leading the Thunderbirds. He previously was the head coach at Dayton, winning a pair of Atlantic 10 titles, before becoming an assistant at NC State and the associate head coach at UTSA.

SERIES VS. THE THUNDERBIRDS
Montana is 6-6 since the two teams began playing in 2011. The Thunderbirds have won the past two matchups, but Montana won the two prior, including a five-set victory in Cedar City last October, when the team rallied to win the final three sets by two sets apiece. Ashley Watkins had a career-high 66 assists vs. SUU in 2017, while Missy Huddleston recorded 22 kills. Sarina Moreno has twice tallied 21 digs.

Last month on the road, Montana fell in four sets. The Grizzlies recorded 11 more digs than the Thunderbirds, but were blocked 15 times and aced on eight occasions. Amethyst Harper led the Grizzlies with 17 kills, while Watkins had a double-double (34 assists, 13 digs), plus three aces and three blocks.

Gallery: (11/7/2019) VB: at Idaho (11.7.19)

Montana caps home schedule with big matches, including Senior Night

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Players Mentioned

Isabelle Garrido

Elsa Godwin

Janna Grimsrud

Amethyst Harper

Missy Huddleston

Sarina Moreno

Catie Semadeni

Ashley Watkins

University of Montana Athletics

Montana caps home schedule with big matches, including Senior Night

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Isabelle Garrido

Elsa Godwin

Janna Grimsrud

Amethyst Harper

Missy Huddleston

Sarina Moreno

Catie Semadeni

Ashley Watkins

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