Grizzlies eyeing conference-tournament berth entering final week of regular season

Montana at Weber State / Thursday / 7 p.m. / Ogden, Utah
Video: Pluto TV (ch. 535)
Stats: Live Stats

Montana at Idaho State / Saturday / 7 p.m. / Pocatello, Idaho
Video: Pluto TV (ch. 543)
Stats: Live Stats

For several weeks, Montana volleyball coach Allison Lawrence has refrained from looking too far ahead or putting too much emphasis on qualifying for the conference tournament.

For a team that has regularly started at least three freshmen, the focus has instead been on continued growth throughout each match. The emphasis has been working.

After beginning the Big Sky season 1-8, Montana has worked itself into a position to punch its ticket to the conference tournament. The best part is that, with one week remaining in the regular season, Montana is in complete control of its postseason chances, not needing others teams to win or lose to keep its hopes alive.

"At the halfway point of conference, we looked at areas we were falling short and kind of decided, 'What do we have to lose? Let's see what we can do.', Lawrence said. "That mentality, and playing free and relaxed, launched us through the second half of conference, and has given us the confidence and poise we're currently playing with."

The road isn't easy. Up ahead are dates at second-place Weber State and an Idaho State squad that, like Montana, is still squarely in the mix for the tournament's final spot. Both teams beat the Grizzlies last month in Missoula.

Should Montana win both of its matches this week, the Grizzlies are guaranteed to lock up a tournament spot. Should Montana win one of its matches even, the Grizzlies have a very strong chance to punch their ticket to Sacramento.

"It's ours to take, and our expectation is to be going on next week," Lawrence said. "I can't say enough about how much momentum we have. We keep getting better through our wins and losses and are improving in the areas we're focusing on in practice. We've learned to take control of our process and our game."

Regardless of what happens, Lawrence is proud of how her team has turned around its season, and especially for the way they're currently fighting for each other.

"The bigger picture is still out there, and we're staying focused and determined and are playing our best volleyball of the season," the third-year head coach said. "I really like how our team is rallying around extending our season to have more time with our seniors and more time with this group. In a really genuine way, we really love to practice, train and play together, and it's been a really enjoyable feeling to fight for more time with each other."

BIG SKY BREAKDOWN
No. 1 seed: Northern Colorado, with a 15-1 record, locked up the No. 1 seed and the regular-season title earlier this month. The Bears' only setback came on Oct. 24 at Northern Arizona.

The next tier: It's a steep drop-off from Northern Colorado to the rest of the pack, with the No. 2 through 6 teams all clumped together. Weber State and Northern Arizona are currently tied for second at 11-5, followed by a three-way tie for fourth between Montana State, Sacramento State and Idaho (11-6). All five teams will be in the tournament, but the seeding is still very much in the air.

Not quite in, but should get there: Southern Utah sits at 6-10, in seventh place and a game up on Montana and Portland State. The Thunderbirds have dropped three in a row – including last Saturday to Montana – and eight of their past 10 matches, but a 4-2 start to Big Sky play should get them in. Southern Utah hosts Idaho and Eastern Washington this week, needing to win one of those to earn a spot.

The final spot up for grabs: That leaves four teams fighting for one spot, and several scenarios still possible. Entering the week, Montana and Portland State are tied for eighth (5-11) and a game up on Idaho State and Eastern Washington (4-12). If the season ended today, Montana would earn the final spot due to its 3-1 win over the Vikings in their only meeting this season. Montana also has a potential tiebreaker over Eastern Washington.

With wins over Weber State and Idaho State: Montana would earn a trip to Sacramento, and possibly the No. 7 seed, depending on what Southern Utah does this week (the Grizzlies own a potential tiebreaker over the Thunderbirds).
With a win over Weber State and a loss to Idaho State: Montana would earn a trip to Sacramento, as long as either Portland State or Idaho State don't win both of their matches this week.
With a win over Idaho State and a loss to Weber State: Montana would earn a trip to Sacramento, as long as Portland State doesn't win both of its matches this week.

Eastern Washington schedule: Thursday at Northern Arizona, Saturday at Southern Utah
Idaho State schedule: Thursday vs. Montana State, Saturday vs. Montana
Portland State schedule: Tuesday vs. Sacramento State, Thursday at Northern Colorado
Southern Utah schedule: Thursday vs. Idaho, Saturday vs. Eastern Washington

SCOUTING WEBER STATE

Weber State is 20-7 overall, with an 11-5 mark in league play. During the non-conference portion of the season, the Wildcats picked up a win over Kansas State of the Big 12.
Weber State is impressive across the board, ranking in the top 100 nationally for opponent hitting percentage (.165, 33^rd); blocking (2.50 per set, 36^th); service aces (1.63 per set, 39^th); digs (16.27 per set, 55^th); hitting percentage (.237, 62^nd); and assists (12.24 per set, 81^st).
Senior OH Megan Gneiting (0.96 per set) and senior MB Hannah DeYoung (0.93) average nearly a block per set. Gneiting and DeYoung were first-team All-Big Sky selections in 2018. During Big Sky play, senior MB Aubrey Saudners is averaging 1.02 blocks per set (10^th) while hitting at a .336 clip (fourth).
Junior Ashlyn Power ranks 28^th nationally with 10.99 assists per set, setting up an offense that has four players with at least 2.20 kills per set.
Freshman OH Dani Nay leads the Wildcats with 3.33 kills per set (sixth in Big Sky play), doing so at a .237 clip.
Senior L Helena Khouri is the reigning Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Week, averaging 5.66 digs per set in wins over Sacramento State and Portland State.
WSU is coached by Jeremiah Larsen, who is in his fifth season in Ogden. WSU went 18-10 in 2018, including a 13-5 league record.

SERIES VS. THE WILDCATS
Montana has had plenty of success against Weber State, holding a 48-32 all-time advantage in the series, including an 18-16 edge in Ogden. Montana has actually won three consecutive matches at Weber State (2013, 2014, 2017).

In the 2017 victory at Weber State, Missy Huddleston and Ashley Watkins had monster matches, with Watkins totaling 63 assists in just four sets – in addition to 10 digs and five kills – while Huddleston led all players with 23 kills on .400 hitting.
Last month in Missoula, a four-set Wildcats victory, Amethyst Harper had 15 kills on .278 hitting. Huddleston added 10 kills at a .318 clip, in addition to 10 digs.
The series began in 1980, a 3-1 Griz victory in Missoula. The two teams have played every season since, but just once each season from 2014-18 due to Big Sky scheduling.
The Grizzlies have won 10 of the past 16 meetings and are 8-6 with Allison Lawrence on staff.

SCOUTING IDAHO STATE

Like Montana, Idaho State is fighting for a postseason spot, needing to beat Montana on Saturday in order to have a chance to do so. The Bengals are 7-21 overall (4-12 Big Sky) and have lost eight of their past nine matches. Two of their losses have come in five sets, including on Nov. 9 at first-place Northern Colorado.
The Bengals have a balanced attack with five players averaging 2.00 kills per set or better.
Senior Haylie Keck needs just over 100 digs to become the all-time digs leader in Big Sky history. In 2018, Keck was named the league's co-libero of the year and a second-team all-conference selection, ranking 11th nationally with 635 digs. Keck also leads the Bengals for kills and service aces.
ISU ranks second in Big Sky play with 17.42 digs per set (36^th in NCAA). The Bengals have six players averaging at least 2.00 per set.
Junior MB Taylor Meeks ranks second in Big Sky play with a .371 hitting percentage.
Senior MB Brooke Pehrson is averaging 0.40 service aces per set, which ranks third in Big Sky play. The 2018 All-Big Sky second-team selection also ranks eighth for blocking (1.02 per set), while Meeks ranks sixth (1.08).
ISU went 19-14 a season ago, including 13-7 in Big Sky play while advancing to the semifinals of the conference tournament.
ISU is under first-year head coach Sammi Sturt, who spent the previous four seasons as an assistant coach at Utah State.

SERIES VS. THE BENGALS
Montana holds a 42-37 advantage over Idaho State, in a series that dates back to 1978. The Grizzlies are 16-23 in Pocatello, but one wouldn't have to go back far to find their last success. On the final night of the regular season, Montana beat Idaho State – a top-five seed – in four sets to punch its ticket to the conference tournament. The win snapped an eight-match losing skid to the Bengals, including six consecutive losses on the road.

In last month's loss in Missoula, Montana reached 20 points in all three sets, but couldn't win a set. The Grizzlies were led by Elsa Godwin's 11 kills on .429 hitting. Janna Grimsrud had seven blocks.
Missy Huddleston and Ashley Watkins have both had memorable performances against the Bengals. Huddleston has twice reached double figures for kills, including 13 kills on .297 hitting and 12 digs in 2017. A year ago in Pocatello, Watkins recorded 39 assists, 13 digs, five blocks, three kills and two aces in the win.
The series began in 1978, with the two teams playing every season since, except for 1981.
Montana won 11 consecutive matches in the series from 1991-95.
Five of the past 11 matches in the series have gone to five sets.

IMPROVED ATTACKING
After hitting above .220 just twice through the season's first 24 matches, Montana has done so in three consecutive matches, including a season-high .327 clip last Saturday vs. Southern Utah.

STRONG AT THE NET
Montana is averaging 12.3 blocks per match over the past five contests, including a season-high 16 stuffs in a win at Idaho (Nov. 7). The numbers have allowed the Grizzlies to move up to second in Big Sky play with 2.34 blocks per set.

We closed out our home schedule with a W!

📰 https://t.co/4qt3yo3ZjL #GrizVB #GoGriz #UpWithMontana pic.twitter.com/YFpQ6f38rH
— Montana Griz VB (@MontanaGrizVB) November 17, 2019

PHASE III
Montana's season can be summed up into three phases, with the Grizzlies improving immensely throughout the season.

Phase I: Playing without starting setter Ashley Watkins, in addition to eight players making their collegiate debuts, Montana had a non-conference season to forget. The Grizzlies lost their first 25 sets played and went 1-10 during its four-week preseason.
Phase II: Montana's record didn't improve much through the first half of conference play, with the Grizzlies going 1-8, but the level of play improved greatly. Montana increased its numbers in every statistical category and won at least a set in six of nine matches.
Phase III: Montana has continued to elevate its game each week during its recent surge, putting the Grizzlies in a position to earn a conference-tournament berth. During the second half of conference play, the Grizzlies are 4-3, including three wins over teams they lost to in the first half of the season – two of which have been on the road. Montana has won at least a set in nine consecutive matches, and its two most-recent losses came in five sets.

Below is a look at Montana's non-conference numbers compared to its conference figures:

Category	Non-Conference	Conference
Hitting Percentage	.118	.192
Opponent Hitting Percentage	.298	.221
Kills Per Set	9.58	11.83
Assists Per Set	8.59	11.19
Service Aces Per Set	0.97	1.22
Digs Per Set	11.60	14.98
Blocks Per Set	1.86	2.34

THE RECENT SURGE
Over the past seven matches, Montana has gone 4-3, and it's easy to see why. The Grizzlies are hitting .207 during that time, a better percentage than their opponents (.203). Montana is averaging 12.4 kills per set and 2.53 blocks per set during that span.

Amethyst Harper (3.74) and Missy Huddleston (3.52 on .320 hitting) lead the Grizzlies offensively over the past month, while Huddleston has also added a team-most 1.32 blocks per set. Montana's defense also has five individuals averaging at least 2.19 digs per set, while Ashley Watkins has served up 12 aces, in addition to 10.7 assists per set.

MISSY IN THE MIDDLE
Missy Huddleston's transition to the middle blocker position continues to reap individual and team benefits. The senior volleyball player has twice been named the Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Week this month, and it's easy to see why.

In eight matches since moving to the middle blocker position, Huddleston is averaging 3.29 kills per set at a .304 clip, while leading the Big Sky with 1.34 blocks per set. Huddleston has hit above .300 in three consecutive matches, including a 17-kill, zero-error performance at Eastern Washington (.586) and a 22-kill match vs. Northern Arizona (.321). Huddleston and Idaho State's Taylor Meeks are the only Big Sky players to tally at least 17 kills in a match this season without making an error.

In 19 matches before making the position change, Huddleston was averaging 2.14 kills per set on .134 hitting, in addition to 0.46 blocks per set.

HATS OFF FOR HARPER
Freshman outside hitter Amethyst Harper continues to make her case for the league's freshman-of-the-year award, which will be announced next week. Harper leads the Grizzlies with 3.16 kills per set, and has been in double figures for kills in nine consecutive matches. Over the past 13 matches dating back to Oct. 4, when she tallied a career-high 21 kills vs. Idaho, Harper has reached 15 kills or more 11 times, including 19 or more on four occasions. Harper also has six double-doubles during that span, including 25 digs vs. Northern Arizona (Nov. 14).

She ranks fifth in Big Sky play with 3.67 kills per set, a figure which ranks first among all freshmen. Since set scores dropped from 30 points to 25 points in 2008, Harper is one of three Montana freshman to tally 21 kills in a match, doing so twice, including on .395 hitting at Montana State (Oct. 29).

SENSATIONAL SENIORS
Prior to Saturday's win over Southern Utah, Montana recognized its senior class.

Janna Grimsrud moved into a starting role as a senior and has become one of the league's top blockers and attackers – leading her team for both categories. She was named to three preseason all-tournament teams, and a season ago was the team's Heart of the Grizzly award winner for her character and work ethic.

Missy Huddleston has been a model of consistency, playing in more than 100 career matches (95 starts) and tallying nearly 1,000 career digs, 900 kills and 150 blocks. Over the past eight matches since moving to the middle blocker position, she leads the Big Sky for blocking and has twice been named the league's player of the week.

Ashley Watkins has accumulated more than 3,000 career assists and will finish her career ranked third in Griz history in the modern-scoring era. Not limited to setting, she has 80 career service aces and 33 double-doubles, and has started nearly 100 matches.

GRIZ BITS

Montana has had two signature wins in the past month, defeating both Montana State (Oct. 29) and Idaho (Nov. 7) on the road. The four-set win at MSU was Montana's first in Bozeman since 2015. The Grizzlies had lost 14 in a row at Idaho, with their last win in Moscow coming in 1991 – before any current player was born. 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.
Despite missing two games with a broken finger and playing the past six with a club on her hand to protect her hand, Janna Grimsrud is still averaging 0.98 blocks per set, which ranks 10^th in the Big Sky Conference. Her current blocks-per-set average is the highest by a Grizzly since Capri Richardson averaged 1.12 in 2014.
Senior Ashley Watkins has nine service aces over Montana's past two victories, including a career-high five in a four-set win over Southern Utah (Nov. 16). The setter has seven double-doubles on the season, including four in Montana's past six contests. She ranks fifth with 9.91 assists per set.
Huddleston isn't the only one benefitting from a new position. When the senior switched from the right side to the middle, freshman Catie Semadeni slid from the left to Huddleston's old role on the right. During that time she's been a huge bright spot for the Griz. Through her first 16 matches – all on the left – Semadeni was averaging 0.85 kills per set on -.034 hitting. Over the past seven matches, while starting on the right side, Semadeni is averaging 1.48 kills per set at a .259 clip. She has hit above .300 in back-to-back matches and three of her last four, including 11 kills on .360 hitting in a win at Idaho (Nov. 7).
Freshman outside hitter Elsa Godwin had an October to remember. She started the month off with nine service aces over a two-match stretch, including five in a three-set victory over Eastern Washington. Entering play this week, she ranks fifth in Big Sky play with 0.35 aces per set. Later in the month, she recorded double figures for kills three times in a four-match span, hitting .429 vs. Idaho State (Oct. 17) while also tallying a dozen digs.
Sophomore libero Sarina Moreno has been in double figures for digs in seven consecutive matches and 13 of 14 dating back to the start of October. During that span, she has reached 20 digs in a match five times, including three times in the past five contests.
Freshman Isabelle Garrido has at least one service ace in five consecutive matches. From Oct. 24-Nov. 7, the defensive specialist was in double figures for digs each game, averaging 3.29 per set.

YOUTH ON DISPLAY
Montana has been forced to rely heavily on freshmen, with nine of the 13 players on roster never before playing in a collegiate match prior to the start of the season. Not only have the freshmen played, but they have played key roles. Eight freshmen have made their collegiate debuts this season, with all eight earning a set start and seven starting a match. The Grizzlies have started at least three freshmen in every match this season.

Freshmen have made 89 of 162 starts (54.9 percent), including 24 from Amethyst Harper.

HOME SWEET HOME
For the second consecutive season, Montana averaged more than 500 fans per game, a figure which currently ranks fourth in the Big Sky. Just two seasons ago, in 2017, the Grizzlies ranked eighth.

Gallery: (11/16/2019) VB: vs. Southern Utah (11.16.19)

Grizzlies eyeing conference-tournament berth entering final week of regular season

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Isabelle Garrido

Elsa Godwin

Janna Grimsrud

Amethyst Harper

Missy Huddleston

Sarina Moreno

Capri Richardson

Catie Semadeni

Ashley Watkins

University of Montana Athletics

Grizzlies eyeing conference-tournament berth entering final week of regular season

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Isabelle Garrido

Elsa Godwin

Janna Grimsrud

Amethyst Harper

Missy Huddleston

Sarina Moreno

Capri Richardson

Catie Semadeni

Ashley Watkins

Related Videos