Brawl of the Wild comes to Missoula on Tuesday

Montana vs. Montana State / Tuesday / Missoula, Mont.
Maroon Out / Free for UM students, faculty and staff. Buy-one-get-one-free tickets for all fans. Free T-shirt and pizza for first 250 UM students.
TV: SWX Montana
Video: Pluto TV (ch. 537)
Stats: Live Stats

Montana at Northern Colorado / Thursday / Greeley, Colo.
Video: Pluto TV (ch. 541)
Stats: Live Stats

There's no denying that the first month of the volleyball season didn't go the way the Grizzlies envisioned it. Montana posted a 1-10 record through non-conference play, with its lone victory coming last Friday evening at Air Force.

Still, as of this week, regardless of what teams did during preseason, every team's record, essentially, gets reset to 0-0. While the overall results do count in the final standings, Big Sky Conference play begins this week with each team being on equal footing.

A season ago, Montana was just 3-9 through non-conference play before the team rattled off seven victories in Big Sky play, finishing in seventh place and qualifying for the conference tournament for the first time since 2014. That 2014 team qualified despite going winless in non-conference play, dropping its first 12 matches of the season.

Head coach Allison Lawrence is encouraged that her team has potential to make a similar leap this fall, noting that her squad has yet to reach its full potential. Ideally, the four weeks of non-conference play would have given the Grizzlies opportunity to find their rhythm, but with eight freshmen playing – including six who have started multiple times this season – and the team not being at full strength until this past weekend when Montana won its first four sets of the season, the learning curve has been steeper, and longer than expected.

"I think we're walking away from non-conference not quite sure who we are, but in a positive way," Lawrence said. "We never found our groove in preseason, which means we're nowhere near our potential. We don't even know what we're capable of, meaning I think we'll continue to have a sharp learning curve."

Montana's conference opener will be a big one, with the Grizzlies hosting rival Montana State.

The rivalry dates back to 1975 – Montana's first year as a program – and the two teams have played at least twice every year since. Montana has played – and beaten – the Cats more than any other opponent, and a win on Tuesday would even the all-time ledger at 57-57.

While the match is just the first of 18 Big Sky Conference dates, and one can't get too high or too low from the result, there's no denying that the Brawl of the Wild rivalry means more, to both teams and its fans.

"The Griz-Cat rivalry is the one that always gives you goosebumps," Lawrence said. "It's not the most important game of the year, but it is the most emotional. We see a new level from both teams, and regardless of what we have going into it, the emotions and pride make both teams play at their best. You never know what's going to happen."

In last year's meeting in Missoula, 1,314 Griz fans witnessed Montana win in thrilling fashion, the 10th-largest crowd in school history and largest since 2009. The Grizzlies are expecting another large crowd, with the athletics department offering a buy-one-get-one-free ticket special. All UM students, faculty and staff get in free with their Griz Card. Additionally, the match is being labeled as a Maroon Out, with fans encouraged to wear that color. The first 250 students will receive a free maroon Griz volleyball T-shirt and pizza.

Those who are unable to make the match can watch the broadcast statewide on SWX Montana. Riley Corcoran and Nate Michael will be on the call. The match will able be streamed worldwide on Pluto TV channel 537.

Attention @umontana Students
🗣 Maroon Out for @MontanaGrizVB
🆓 Shirts and Pizza#GoGriz #UpWithMontana pic.twitter.com/qsXteMOibh
— Montana Grizzlies (@UMGRIZZLIES) September 23, 2019

NO EASING IN TO NON-CONFERENCE
Montana played an incredibly challenging non-conference schedule, with the 11 opponents combining for a 76-58 record (.567). Overall, eight of the 11 teams finished non-conference play with a .500 or better record, including Grand Canyon and Santa Clara, who each won 10 matches.

NO REST FOR THE WEARY
From Sept. 20-26, Montana will play five matches in seven days, playing in three matches in Colorado last weekend before flying back to Missoula for the Brawl of the Wild, only to return to Colorado again to face Northern Colorado.

Montana will be at a disadvantage due to all of the travel. Montana State has not played since Sept. 17, having a full seven days off before facing the Grizzlies. The Bobcats haven't left the state of Montana since Sept. 7. Meanwhile, Northern Colorado hasn't played since Friday – giving the Bears six full days of rest – and hasn't played away from its home state since Sept. 14.

A LOOK BACK AT LAST YEAR VS. THE CATS
In one of Montana's most exciting matches in recent memory, the Grizzlies earned a thrilling victory over Montana State last September in Missoula. The Grizzlies trailed the match 2-1, and faced match point in Set 4, before rallying to win the fourth frame, 27-25, and the fifth, 15-11. The two teams were tied at 8-8 in the final set before Montana scored seven of the final 10 points.

Last year in Bozeman, the Cats swept Montana. Two of the sets were close, with Montana unable to hold a 23-20 lead in the second set. The Bobcats out-hit Montana, .301 to .185, and led in blocking (10-5) and service aces (5-1).

SCOUTING MONTANA STATE

MSU enters conference play with a 4-5 record, including wins over UTEP and CSU Bakersfield in Missoula two weeks ago. The Bobcats haven't played since Sept. 17, a 3-2 home loss to Seattle.
The Bobcats have used the same starting lineup in every match this season and have three attackers averaging more than 2.7 kills per set, led by Evi Wilson's 2.86 kills-per-set average (10th in Big Sky). The senior OH was named the Big Sky Player of the Week on Sept. 16.
Senior libero Allyssa Rizzo is averaging an astonishing 6.00 digs per set, a figure that ranks third nationally. She was named the Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 3 and has six matches with 20-plus digs, including 37 vs. Northwestern State.
The Bobcats have two players averaging at least 1.00 blocks per set, with both junior MB Kelsie White (1.17, sixth) and freshman MB Emma Pence (1.11, seventh) ranking among the Big Sky leaders.
MSU was picked to finish seventh in the Big Sky Conference preseason poll. The team returned 11 letterwinners and four starters plus its libero from last year's squad that finished eighth in the Big Sky, one spot behind Montana.
MSU is coached by Daniel Jones, who is 25-39 in two-plus seasons at the helm in Bozeman.

SERIES VS. THE BOBCATS

Montana State holds a slight 57-56 lead in the series, winning the most-recent meeting last October in Bozeman.
The Grizzlies are 29-21 all-time in Missoula, winning three of the past four at home.
The past two matches in Missoula have gone to five sets, with Montana State winning in 2017 and Montana coming out victorious in 2018. Five of those 10 sets have been decided by three or fewer points.
Nearly half of Montana State's wins in the series came before Montana got its first. From 1975-80, the two teams played 24 times, with the Bobcats winning each time. Since Montana got its first win in 1981, Montana holds a 56-33 advantage.
The series was one-sided from 1988-95, with the Grizzlies winning 17 consecutive matches over Montana State.
From 2006-12, Montana won 12 of 13 in the series. Prior to that, from 2001-06, Montana State won nine of 10.
Montana has four current players who have seen the floor vs. the Bobcats:
- Missy Huddleston didn't record a single kill in the two matches vs. MSU a year ago, recording two errors on seven swings. She had several notable performances in 2016 and 2017, however, totaling 12 kills and eight digs in 2016 in Missoula and recording a double-double with 11 kills and 16 digs in 2017 at home.
- Ashley Watkins has played in six matches vs. Montana State, as both a setter and a setter/attacker combo. In the past two home matches vs. MSU, she has averaged a double-double with 55.5 assists and 11.0 digs.
- Sarina Moreno played in both matches as a true freshman in 2018, including two service aces and 21 digs last year in Missoula.
- Janna Grimsrud has played limited time in three matches.

SCOUTING NORTHERN COLORADO

UNC is 6-6 on the season, including a win last week over Oregon State. The Bears beat San Jose State and lost to Grand Canyon and Santa Clara – teams the Griz also played in preseason.
Four Bears are averaging at least 2.00 kills per set, led by Kailey Jo Ince's 3.30 average on .252 hitting. The freshman OH had 25 kills last week vs. Cal Poly.
UNC ranks 45th nationally with 1.67 service aces per set, and has five players with at least 10 including freshman Kyndall Feather (0.49 per set, 33rd in NCAA).
After missing seven matches, lone senior Taylor Els returned the libero position last weekend and recorded 28 digs in the win over Oregon State. On the season she is averaging 4.05 digs per set.
Also on roster is sophomore MB Lauren Hinrichs, the 2018 Big Sky Newcomer of the Year, and sophomore S Daisy Schultz, a second-team All-Big Sky honoree. Schultz ranks in the top 100 nationally with 9.82 assists per set.
UNC ranks low nationally for blocking, averaging 1.32 per set, with no player averaging more than 0.54.
UNC advanced to the Big Sky semifinals last season before qualifying for the NIVC postseason tournament. The Bears returned 10 letterwinners from that roster.
Lyndsey Oates has been the head coach at UNC since 2005, where the three-time Big Sky Coach of the Year has compiled a 248-192 record. The Bears have advanced to the NCAA tournament four times under her watch.

SERIES VS. THE BEARS
Montana is 9-19 all-time vs. Northern Colorado, and is looking for its first win in the series since 2013. The Bears have won 10 in a row and are 11-2 overall vs. Montana on their home court. Last year in Greeley, Montana was swept, with the Bears holding the Grizzlies to .096 hitting and leading for nearly every point. It was a different story later in Missoula, when Montana took a 2-1 lead in the match before falling in five sets to a team that advanced to the Big Sky semifinals. Montana scored at least 20 points in all four full sets and led the Bears for blocking (8-4). Missy Huddleston has been in double figures for kills twice in her career against UNC, while Sarina Moreno averaged 3.63 digs per set across two matches last year.

HOME SWEET HOME
Despite playing two top-30 teams, Montana went 5-7 at home in 2018, winning five consecutive home matches from Sept. 1-Oct. 11. In 2016 and 2017 combined, Montana won just four home matches total, and hadn't won more than three home matches in a season since 2013. The Grizzlies averaged nearly 600 fans per home match in 2018, its largest figure in 23 seasons.

YOUTH ON DISPLAY
With nine freshmen on its roster, Montana has been forced to heavily rely on underclassmen. The first four weeks have been a perfect display of that, with eight of the 12 players who have taken the court making their collegiate debuts. Only Janna Grimsrud, Missy Huddleston, Sarina Moreno and Ashley Watkins had played in a college match prior to the start of the season.

Not only have the freshmen played, but they have played key roles. Six of the eight freshmen have earned at least three starts, with 39 of the 66 starts overall coming from a newcomer. True freshman Kelly Horning has started 10 matches at middle blocker, while three others have started at least seven times.

GRIMSRUD EARNS ACCOLADES (AGAIN)
Janna Grimsrud is making the most of her senior season, leading the Grizzlies with 2.22 kills per set, 1.03 blocks per set (10th in Big Sky) and a .259 hitting percentage (11th). She has been named to the all-tournament team of three tournaments this season.

In her first three seasons with the Griz, Grimsrud played sporadically, appearing in 35 matches, including nine in 2018. During the spring, the senior emerged as not only a vocal team leader, but one on the court as well. Across just 11 matches this fall, Grimsrud already has 80 kills. She had six kills all of last season and 28 career kills entering this season.

GRIZ BITS
While the team's 1-10 record was far from desired, below are a few notable team accomplishments and statistics from the first four weeks of the season.

Of the 12 players who have seen the court this season, just four had played in a collegiate match entering the fall. Overall, eight players have made their collegiate debuts this season, with six of them earning at least three starts. Sixty percent of Montana's starts (39 of 66) have been made by a freshman.
After losing its first nine matches of the season, Montana broke through with a win over Air Force on Sept. 20. The Grizzlies lost the first two sets before mounting the comeback, including a 15-13 victory in Set 5.
Montana's 13-point victory in Set 3 vs. Air Force (Sept. 20) was its largest in a set since Sept. 17, 2016, when the Grizzlies held Morehead State to 12 points.
Montana's win in the second set over Santa Clara (Sept. 20) was its first of the season. The Grizzlies lost their first 25 sets to begin the year.
Montana has scored at least 20 points in 11 sets on the season, including six times last weekend in matches vs. Santa Clara and Air Force.
Montana hit a season-best .282 in a three-set loss to UC Davis (Aug. 30). It marked the team's highest hitting percentage in a defeat since the Grizzlies hit .323 at Virginia on Aug. 31, 2013. It was the sixth time in the past five seasons that Montana has hit .280 or better in a match.
Montana hit .560 in the third set vs. UC Davis (Aug. 30), totaling 14 kills without making an error. It marked the team's highest single-set hitting percentage since Sept. 24, 2016 vs. Idaho (.609) and was the first time the Grizzlies have recorded zero attack errors in a set since Sept. 19, 2015 vs. Illinois-Chicago.
Back in late August, Montana looked dominant in a preseason exhibition match vs. North Dakota, winning the first four sets of a five-set scrimmage in front of Griz fans in Missoula. While both teams were tinkering with their lineups throughout the match, the athleticism displayed by the Griz shows potential for a young team, especially considering the North Dakota team that Montana beat went 8-6 in preseason play.
Montana's best statistical category has been blocking, with the team averaging 1.86 blocks per set. The Grizzlies have out-blocked their opponent in six of 11 matches so far this season, recording a season-best 13 stuffs vs. Air Force.
Opponents are way too terminal against the Griz defense, hitting a combined .298. Ten of 11 opponents have hit above .260, with three hitting .380 or better. The only time Montana has out-hit its opponent, the Grizzlies won the match (.188 to .129 vs. Air Force).
While opponents are hitting at a staggering rate, Montana's attacking hasn't been efficient enough. The Grizzlies have essentially taken the same number of swings as their opponents, 1,122 to 1,225, but have 141 fewer kills (345 to 486). The Grizzlies are averaging just 9.6 kills per set.
Montana has nearly half as many service aces as its opponents (35 to 61), although the Grizzlies are making fewer errors from the service line (74 to 77).
In order to put themselves in position to win, the Grizzlies need to get off to better starts. In 16 of 36 sets this season, Montana has trailed by at least five points by the time its opponent reached 10 points in a set, forcing Montana to have to play catch-up, and often times taking the Grizzlies out of their game plan. Because of this, the Grizzlies have only led past the 10-point marker in nine sets this season, with five of them coming vs. Air Force (Sept. 20).

What a night, and what a performance by Janna Grimsrud!

The senior had 17 kills on .556 hitting, in addition to six blocks! #GrizVB #GoGriz #UpWithMontana pic.twitter.com/dWztYQYSmz
— Montana Griz VB (@MontanaGrizVB) September 21, 2019

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

Sarina Moreno – Has started eight of 11 matches at libero, and two more at defensive specialist… Ranks second on the team with 87 digs (2.64 per set), including double figures in two of the past three matches… Ranks fourth on the team with four service aces… Set a UM freshman record in 2018 with 429 digs (4.49 digs-per-set average in Big Sky play).
Lexie Gleasman – Is expected to redshirt this season.
Janna Grimsrud – Has been UM's best player, leading the Griz for kills (2.22 per set), hitting percentage (.259, 11th in Big Sky) and blocking (1.03 per set, 10th)… Has led UM for blocking in eight matches, kills six times and hitting four times… Had a career-high 17 kills on .556 hitting in a win at Air Force (Sept. 20)… Has been named to the all-tournament team in three of four tournaments… Was used sparingly in her first three seasons, including just six kills in nine matches in 2018.
Ashley Watkins – Missed first eight matches due to personal reasons before making her season debut vs. Santa Clara (Sept. 20)… In three matches is averaging 7.83 assists per set, including a double-double (43 assists, 10 digs) at Air Force (Sept. 20)… Has six kills in two of three matches, including six kills and zero errors vs. Santa Clara (Sept. 20)… Has started 80 career matches, including 59 of 60 in 2017 and 2018… Ranks seventh in school history with more than 2,600 career assists… As a freshman was used as a setter/attacker combo.
Isabelle Garrido – Has earned four starts at defensive specialist and three at libero… Ranks second on the team with 83 digs (2.59 per set), including double figures in all three matches she played as libero… Ranks second on the team with seven service aces.
Elsa Godwin – Has started the past seven matches and eight overall… Ranks fourth on the team with 1.44 kills per set, including a career-most 10 vs. Santa Clara (Sept 20)… Was named to the Farmers State Bank Invitational all-tournament team (Sept. 14) after leading the Griz offense and recording seven kills on .312 hitting, eight digs and three blocks vs. CSU Bakersfield.
Amethyst Harper – Ranks second on the team with 2.21 kills per set, recording a career-most 12 last week at Air Force (Sept. 20)… Has been in double figures for kills three times and has led UM in that category twice… Ranks third on the team for blocking (0.47 per set) and fourth for digs (1.59) and service aces (4).
Alicia Wallingford – Has played in two sets at middle blocker, making her collegiate debut vs. San Jose State (Aug. 31).
Kelly Horning – Has started 10 of 11 matches, ranking second on the team with 0.61 blocks per set… Has led the team in that category three times, including a career-most six last week at Air Force (Sept. 20)… Has a service ace in five different matches, including two at Air Force (Sept. 20)… Has recorded five kills on four occasions, twice doing so without making an error.
Catie Semadeni – Has played in 10 matches, earning three starts… Is averaging 0.83 kills per set… Had six kills and zero errors (.333 hitting) in her collegiate debut at UC Davis (Aug. 30).
Missy Huddleston – Has started all 11 matches on the right side, ranking third on the team for kills (2.17 per set) and digs (2.58 per set)… Her two best offensive performances of the season came last weekend, totaling 11 kills vs. Santa Clara (Sept. 20) and a double-double with 16 kills and 12 digs at Air Force (Sept. 20)… Has led UM for kills five times and digs three times… After recording four blocks through the first eight matches, she had a career-high five against both Santa Clara and Air Force (Sept. 20)… Has played in 96 matches during her career, earning 79 starts.
Kelsey Nestegard – Has played in five sets across three matches, recording four digs vs. Grand Canyon (Sept. 7)… Made her collegiate debut vs. Pacific (Aug. 30).
Casey Stites – Started the first eight matches at setter, averaging 6.83 assists per set in starts… Recorded a career-best 29 assists vs. Grand Canyon (Sept. 7)… Has a team-most eight service aces, including two aces in three different matches… Is averaging 0.50 blocks per set in starts.

BUILDING MOMENTUM
Montana had a banner season in 2018, posting 10 victories, its highest win total since 2013. The Grizzlies won seven Big Sky matches and qualified for the Big Sky tournament for the first time since 2014. For comparison, Montana won just five conference matches in 2016 and 2017 combined.

LOOKING AHEAD
Montana will return home for a pair of matches during the university's homecoming weekend. Montana will host Eastern Washington on Thursday, Oct. 3 (7 p.m.) and Idaho on Friday, Oct. 4 (6 p.m.).

Complete match notes in PDF format, including charts, tables, player pages and more

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Isabelle Garrido

Lexie Gleasman

Elsa Godwin

Janna Grimsrud

Amethyst Harper

Kelly Horning

Missy Huddleston

Sarina Moreno

Kelsey Nestegard

Catie Semadeni

Casey Stites

Alicia Wallingford

Ashley Watkins

University of Montana Athletics