North Dakota coming to Missoula for exhibition volleyball match

A rare opportunity is coming to Missoula on Friday, Aug. 23, when the Montana volleyball team hosts North Dakota in an exhibition match. The contest is free to the public and will begin at noon.

Immediately following the match, the players and coaching staff will hold a free kids' clinic for all girls and boys in sixth grade or younger. The clinic will lead into the Great Griz Encounter, an annual tradition which features photos and autographs with the volleyball and football teams, games, food, and a movie on the Washington-Grizzly Stadium video board. The clinic is free, but advanced registration online is required.

While exhibition contests are the norm for men's and women's basketball, they rarely happen in volleyball – and when they do, they often pit a Division-I team vs. a lower-level institution. Montana's exhibition contest, however, will come against North Dakota, a team that just two years ago won 30 matches and the Big Sky Conference title, before leaving to join the Summit League last year.

"We are thrilled and grateful that UND is eager to make this scrimmage happen, and we look forward to making this event an exciting and productive one for both teams, as well as our fans," head coach Allison Lawrence said. "What makes this scrimmage even more spectacular is that it is surrounded by two additional ways for families to celebrate fall sports. Our hope is that fans will take part in activities the entire afternoon, including our free kids' clinic and the Great Griz Encounter afterward."

The match will be a unique opportunity for both teams to get work in against another Division-I opponent, and will come at the end of Montana's two-a-day schedule. During fall camp, the Grizzlies will scrimmage each other, but nothing adds value more than seeing how you perform against outside competition.

"Due to our proximity to DI schools outside our conference and the nature of preseason scheduling, it is difficult to get such a high-level scrimmage on our schedule," Lawrence said. "Playing UND will allow fans a unique glimpse at the 2019 squad, as well as allow us to get quality competition in the week leading up to our first preseason tournament in Davis."

While Montana's 11 home matches during the 2019 regular-season will be played inside Dahlberg Arena, the exhibition contest will be held inside the West Auxiliary Gym – Montana volleyball's former home court – due to work on the Dahlberg Arena playing surface.

Montana has seven newcomers on its 2019 roster, which will report for the season on Friday, Aug. 9. The team will practice throughout August, leading up to the team's season opener on Aug. 30 in California. Season tickets for the 2019 volleyball season can be purchased online, by calling 1-888-MONTANA or in person at the Adams Center box office. Under Lawrence, the Grizzlies had their best season since 2013 last fall, qualifying for the Big Sky tournament.

Friday Aug. 23
Noon – Exhibition match vs. North Dakota – Free
Following the match – Kids' clinic – Free (Register)
5 p.m. – Great Griz Encounter and movie night – Free

University of Montana Athletics

North Dakota coming to Missoula for exhibition volleyball match

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