Sunday, January 24
Pocatello, Idaho
2 PM
Montana
at
Idaho State
Photo by: Tommy Martino
Montana gears up to finally open volleyball season
1/22/2021 3:44:00 PM | Volleyball
MONTANA AT IDAHO STATE
Sunday / 2 p.m. / Pocatello, Idaho
Monday / 6 p.m. / Pocatello, Idaho
Five months after Montana was originally expected to open its season, and 423 days since its last competition, Montana returns to the court this weekend to open a delayed and altered Spring 2021 volleyball season.
Montana will play Idaho State on back-to-back days in Pocatello, Idaho, facing the Bengals on Sunday (2 p.m.) and Monday (6 p.m.). Both matches can be streamed worldwide on Pluto TV (channel 1061).
"I think even I underestimated, coming back from winter break, just how different it would feel," fourth-year head coach Allison Lawrence said. "For so long, we've been talking in a lot of theoretical, long-term ways, but getting back into practice and knowing we have a match on the schedule, the goal is finally right in front of us. The level of excitement now is through the roof and so much deeper."
Reed Gym in Pocatello has become a special place for Montana, which has closed the regular season each of the past two years in that gym, winning both times to punch its ticket to the conference tournament.
Montana's 2019 season can easily be split into two sections. The first part saw the Grizzlies open the year with nine consecutive losses – losing their first 24 sets played – and sitting at 2-16 entering a late October match vs. Portland State.
Montana beat Portland State on Oct. 26, sparking a five-week stretch in which Montana posted a winning record over the back-half of conference play to qualify for the Big Sky tournament. Along the way, Montana earned road wins at Montana State (its first in Bozeman since 2015), Idaho (its first in Moscow since 1991) and Idaho State (on the final night of the regular season to earn a postseason berth). The win over the Vandals was not only the program's first in Moscow in 28 years, but also marked the first time all season that Idaho lost on its home court. Montana then played eventual champion Northern Colorado in the quarterfinals of the Big Sky tournament, taking a set off of the Bears.
A NEW LINEUP
After Montana's freshmen started a combined 100 matches in 2019, it's hard to believe that the Grizzlies brought in eight new players in 2020, including six true freshmen. As young as Montana was the last time it took the court, the squad, in some ways, is even younger this spring, with just one returning upperclassman (junior libero Sarina Moreno).
The Grizzlies will suit up six freshmen, six sophomores, two juniors (Moreno and transfer Jordyn Schuette) and one senior (transfer Peyten Boutwell).
That, perhaps, is where Montana benefited most from a delayed season.
"We're a completely different team than we were in August," Lawrence said. "The extra time in the fall was so key, not only from a chemistry standpoint – feeling like a team that knows each other and trusts each other – but we've also been able to mature a little bit (in the weight room) without having to do so during an actual season..
"They're definitely different athletes than they were in August, and I think that will only benefit them and us. The fall definitely built a ton of momentum for us as we head into a spring season."
SETTING IT UP
Ever since Lawrence took over as head coach, prior to the 2017 season, she has had the setter position firmly in place, with Ashley Watkins running the offense. Watkins started 99 matches in her career and ranks sixth in school history for career assists.
The Grizzlies brought in two new setters who have been competing to run Montana's offense this spring. Carly Anderson is a freshman from Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, while Jordyn Schuette is a junior transfer, who began her collegiate career at Cal. Anderson twice represented her province on Team Ontario, winning two bronze medals, and in 2018 was named a national all-star. Schuette played alongside and against some of the nation's top players, including setting against No. 4 Stanford, in addition to winning back-to-back Palomar League titles and a 2016 CIF Division I championship at Del Norte High School.
The setter position in volleyball is often compared to the quarterback in football, because the player runs the offense, deciding which hitter she should set the ball to while reading the defense to know where the blockers are and where an opening might be.
Regardless of who starts, both Anderson and Schuette have the ability to run a quicker offense than Montana has run in recent years, which should create an exciting brand of volleyball for fans to watch, not to mention a tougher one for defense to defend.
"For the past four years we've been recruiting for this moment, to find the person to take over for Ashley," Lawrence said. "We were looking for someone to come in and take us to the next level, beyond what we have been able to do. I think Carly and Jordyn both have that ability, and it's changing our program. I think you're going to see a brand of offense that is definitely faster and more explosive, and I think more terminal too."
PIN HITTERS
While Anderson and Schuette are new to the system, the pin hitters they will be setting to are not. Montana brings back its top three outside hitters from 2019, all of whom are just sophomores this season. During their freshman seasons, the trio combined for 623 kills.
Amethyst Harper arguably was one of the Big Sky's top players, setting a freshman school record with 355 kills. She led Montana for kills 15 times and was in double figures for the category on 19 occasions, including the final 12 to end the season. During league play, her 3.71 kills-per-set average ranked fifth in Big Sky play.
Joining Harper on the left side was Missoula native Elsa Godwin, who totaled 168 kills and earned 24 starts. She was in double figures for kills seven times, including three of the final five matches, and also led Montana – and ranked fourth in the Big Sky Conference – with 32 service aces.
Catie Semadeni reached 100 kills during her debut season for the Griz. She started 14 matches, but really began to hit her stride in the final five weeks, when she moved from the left pin to the right. During those 11 matches, she recorded at least five kills nine times, and more impressive, hit .255, compared to -.034 on the left side.
Sarah Ashely holds Helena Capital's school record for career kills, while helping the Bruins to a 2018 state title. Sophia Meyers was the 2019 Metro League MVP, leading the state of Washington in hitting. Kellie Van Kirk was a four-sport athlete at Manhattan Christian High School in Bozeman, earning all-state honors in volleyball.
IN THE MIDDLE
The middle-blocker position is where Montana sees its most turnover, losing two standout players from the 2019 season. Janna Grimsrud started 28 matches and led the Grizzlies for blocking and hitting percentage, while becoming one of the league's top blockers. Missy Huddleston started the season on the right side, before transitioning to the left and turning Montana's season around on both a team and individual level. She was one of the league's top players over the final five weeks of the season, twice earning Big Sky Conference Player-of-the-Week honors before being named to the All-Big Sky Conference second team.
The position will be a work in progress, but the hope is that it will evolve, just as it did a season ago. Entering 2019, Grimsrud became one of the league's top middle blockers after recording just six kills in sporadic time in 2018. Huddleston didn't become a true force until midway through the season.
Returning with the most experience at the position is Kelly Horning, now a sophomore. During her freshman season, Horning played in 22 matches, starting 19. She totaled 64 kills and 49 blocks, leading the Griz for blocking five times. The only other middle blocker with experience is Alicia Wallingford, who as a freshman in 2019 played in eight sets and recorded two blocks, and was named the team's most-improved player at the end-of-season awards banquet.
Competing for playing time will also be a trio of newcomers.
The veteran of the bunch if Peyten Boutwell, a graduate transfer from Abilene Christian. Her four-year collegiate career, which began in 2016 at UC Riverside, hasn't gone the way she likely expected, playing in 18 total matches prior to coming to Missoula, but is expected to be a major factor for the Griz.
"We're more returner heavy than we technically are on paper," Lawrence said. "All eight of our newcomers have bought into our system and our culture, but they also do leadership in a way that has allowed our returners to teach but also be taught by the new players, who have a new perspective. I think it's been really healthy and has allowed us to grow in ways that we haven't been able to previously."
Freshman Madi Chuhlantseff was a three-time all-conference selection in Oregon, helping West Salem High School to a 2019 Mountain Valley Conference championship, while also winning a bronze medal at the 2019 GJNC nationals. Fellow freshman Ellie Scherffius graduated from Chugiak High School in Alaska, but was familiar with the Treasure State, having earned all-conference honors at Billings West High School, where she spent her first three high-school seasons. Away from volleyball, the talented athlete is a state record-holder in track in both Montana and Alaska.
BACK-ROW DEFENSE
Now in her third season, libero Sarina Moreno is again expected to play a major role for the Grizzlies' back-row defense. In her first two seasons, she has played in 57 matches, starting 54 at the libero position, where she has racked up more than 800 digs. In 2018, as a freshman, her 429 digs were the 11th-most in school history. In 2019, in addition to 375 digs, she ranked second on the team for service aces (21) and serve-receive percentage (.937).
Isabelle Garrido had a strong freshman season, recording 212 digs and 16 service aces, while playing in more than 90 percent of the team's sets, starting eight matches. Kelsey Nestegard was named the team's scout-team MVP in 2019. During her freshman season, she played in 15 sets, recording nine digs and two service aces.
A NEW FORMAT
The 2020 schedule was supposed to be one of Montana's best, with the Grizzlies bringing in big-name opponents like Oregon State of the Pac-12 and Gonzaga. Instead, they will have to settle for a 16-match all-Big Sky slate.
And as much as Lawrence would love to have a full set of matches, including the contest against her alma mater, that's just fine by her.
"We're just through the roof with excitement that we get to play," Lawrence said. "We're ready to compete in whatever way we're able to."
In a new format this year, Big Sky teams will play the same opponent on back-to-back nights in the same venue. Previously, teams would play most opponents twice, once at home and once on the road. In order to accommodate facility needs, matches this year will be played on Sundays and Mondays.
Montana's home opponents will be Weber State (Jan. 31-Feb. 1), Montana State (Feb. 14-15), Idaho (Feb. 28-March 1) and Sacramento State (March 21-22). In addition to this week's trip to Idaho State, Montana will travel to Southern Utah (Feb. 7-8), Eastern Washington (Feb. 21-22) and Portland State (March 7-8). The Grizzlies' bye week will come prior to their regular-season finale, on the weekend of March 14-15. The eight-team Big Sky Conference tournament will be held March 31-April 2 in Greeley, Colorado.
The new format, playing on consecutive nights and against the same team twice in a row, instead of spaced out several weeks, will create a new challenge for coaches.
"It will be fun, but very different," Lawrence said. "I think there will be a lot of unpredictable outcomes, and the depth of people's rosters will be more important than ever. How well can you hold on to momentum from a win on the first night? How efficiently can you bounce back from a loss? How well can you make adjustments, not in a matter of weeks but in 24 hours?
"We all will be challenged in new ways, but I think it will make us better and create a lot of excitement for the fans."
PRESEASON EXPECTATIONS
If one were to look at Montana's overall record in any of the past several seasons, nothing would jump off the page. However, results have steadily come each year under Lawrence's leadership, with the Grizzlies qualifying for the Big Sky Conference tournament each of the past two seasons.
Lawrence took over a program that had won just five games in the year prior to her arrival, but she guided the Grizzlies to eight wins in her first season and back-to-back Big Sky Conference tournament appearances in 2018 and 2019, something that hadn't happened since 2013-14. Over the past two seasons, Lawrence has also developed a pair of All-Big Sky selections in Mykaela Hammer and Huddleston.
At the time she took over as head coach, Montana ranked last or second-to-last in the Big Sky Conference in every statistical category. The Grizzlies have risen by at least three spots in each category, and have increased their assists, kills and digs by roughly 100 spots apiece in the national rankings, and their blocks by more than 150 spots.
Perhaps most impressive, though, has been Lawrence's ability to exceed expectations. All three seasons under Lawrence, Montana has finished higher than its preseason ranking. Montana will once again try to do so this spring.
Prior to the 2020 season being postponed, the league's head coaches selected Montana to finish tied for seventh with Portland State in the preseason poll. Northern Colorado was the overwhelming favorite to repeat as champions, earning 10 of 11 first-place votes, followed by Northern Arizona and Weber State, Montana State, Sacramento State, Idaho, and Montana and Portland State. Rounding out the preseason poll, which was announced in July, was Southern Utah, Idaho State and Eastern Washington.
Gallery: (11-12-2020) VB: Scrimmage (11.10.20)
SCOUTING IDAHO STATE
Montana holds a 43-37 advantage over Idaho State, in a series that dates back to 1978. The Grizzlies are 17-23 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. One year later, the Grizzlies again beat the Bengals on the final night of the regular season to once again reach the conference tournament.
Additional volleyball links:
Sunday / 2 p.m. / Pocatello, Idaho
Monday / 6 p.m. / Pocatello, Idaho
- Watch: Pluto TV (ch. 1061)
- Live Stats
Five months after Montana was originally expected to open its season, and 423 days since its last competition, Montana returns to the court this weekend to open a delayed and altered Spring 2021 volleyball season.
Montana will play Idaho State on back-to-back days in Pocatello, Idaho, facing the Bengals on Sunday (2 p.m.) and Monday (6 p.m.). Both matches can be streamed worldwide on Pluto TV (channel 1061).
"I think even I underestimated, coming back from winter break, just how different it would feel," fourth-year head coach Allison Lawrence said. "For so long, we've been talking in a lot of theoretical, long-term ways, but getting back into practice and knowing we have a match on the schedule, the goal is finally right in front of us. The level of excitement now is through the roof and so much deeper."
Reed Gym in Pocatello has become a special place for Montana, which has closed the regular season each of the past two years in that gym, winning both times to punch its ticket to the conference tournament.
CARRYING OVER MOMENTUMIt feels good to say it...
— Montana Griz VB (@MontanaGrizVB) January 20, 2021
𝗚𝗔𝗠𝗘 𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗞 𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗣!#GrizVB #GoGriz #BigSkyVB pic.twitter.com/eB16EUgMv6
Montana's 2019 season can easily be split into two sections. The first part saw the Grizzlies open the year with nine consecutive losses – losing their first 24 sets played – and sitting at 2-16 entering a late October match vs. Portland State.
Montana beat Portland State on Oct. 26, sparking a five-week stretch in which Montana posted a winning record over the back-half of conference play to qualify for the Big Sky tournament. Along the way, Montana earned road wins at Montana State (its first in Bozeman since 2015), Idaho (its first in Moscow since 1991) and Idaho State (on the final night of the regular season to earn a postseason berth). The win over the Vandals was not only the program's first in Moscow in 28 years, but also marked the first time all season that Idaho lost on its home court. Montana then played eventual champion Northern Colorado in the quarterfinals of the Big Sky tournament, taking a set off of the Bears.
A NEW LINEUP
After Montana's freshmen started a combined 100 matches in 2019, it's hard to believe that the Grizzlies brought in eight new players in 2020, including six true freshmen. As young as Montana was the last time it took the court, the squad, in some ways, is even younger this spring, with just one returning upperclassman (junior libero Sarina Moreno).
The Grizzlies will suit up six freshmen, six sophomores, two juniors (Moreno and transfer Jordyn Schuette) and one senior (transfer Peyten Boutwell).
That, perhaps, is where Montana benefited most from a delayed season.
"We're a completely different team than we were in August," Lawrence said. "The extra time in the fall was so key, not only from a chemistry standpoint – feeling like a team that knows each other and trusts each other – but we've also been able to mature a little bit (in the weight room) without having to do so during an actual season..
"They're definitely different athletes than they were in August, and I think that will only benefit them and us. The fall definitely built a ton of momentum for us as we head into a spring season."
SETTING IT UP
Ever since Lawrence took over as head coach, prior to the 2017 season, she has had the setter position firmly in place, with Ashley Watkins running the offense. Watkins started 99 matches in her career and ranks sixth in school history for career assists.
The Grizzlies brought in two new setters who have been competing to run Montana's offense this spring. Carly Anderson is a freshman from Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, while Jordyn Schuette is a junior transfer, who began her collegiate career at Cal. Anderson twice represented her province on Team Ontario, winning two bronze medals, and in 2018 was named a national all-star. Schuette played alongside and against some of the nation's top players, including setting against No. 4 Stanford, in addition to winning back-to-back Palomar League titles and a 2016 CIF Division I championship at Del Norte High School.
The setter position in volleyball is often compared to the quarterback in football, because the player runs the offense, deciding which hitter she should set the ball to while reading the defense to know where the blockers are and where an opening might be.
Regardless of who starts, both Anderson and Schuette have the ability to run a quicker offense than Montana has run in recent years, which should create an exciting brand of volleyball for fans to watch, not to mention a tougher one for defense to defend.
"For the past four years we've been recruiting for this moment, to find the person to take over for Ashley," Lawrence said. "We were looking for someone to come in and take us to the next level, beyond what we have been able to do. I think Carly and Jordyn both have that ability, and it's changing our program. I think you're going to see a brand of offense that is definitely faster and more explosive, and I think more terminal too."
PIN HITTERS
While Anderson and Schuette are new to the system, the pin hitters they will be setting to are not. Montana brings back its top three outside hitters from 2019, all of whom are just sophomores this season. During their freshman seasons, the trio combined for 623 kills.
Amethyst Harper arguably was one of the Big Sky's top players, setting a freshman school record with 355 kills. She led Montana for kills 15 times and was in double figures for the category on 19 occasions, including the final 12 to end the season. During league play, her 3.71 kills-per-set average ranked fifth in Big Sky play.
Joining Harper on the left side was Missoula native Elsa Godwin, who totaled 168 kills and earned 24 starts. She was in double figures for kills seven times, including three of the final five matches, and also led Montana – and ranked fourth in the Big Sky Conference – with 32 service aces.
Catie Semadeni reached 100 kills during her debut season for the Griz. She started 14 matches, but really began to hit her stride in the final five weeks, when she moved from the left pin to the right. During those 11 matches, she recorded at least five kills nine times, and more impressive, hit .255, compared to -.034 on the left side.
Joining the three sophomores are a trio of true freshmen, who will compete for playing time.Big freshman year ➡️ Big sophomore expectations
— Montana Griz VB (@MontanaGrizVB) January 21, 2021
Our freshman class set the bar high last year, making 92 starts and accounting for 54.7% of our team's kills, 52.0% of our aces, 42.7% of our blocks and 29.7% of our digs! Year 2 begins Sunday!#GrizVB #GoGriz #BigSkyVB pic.twitter.com/BfL4sBt5Rz
Sarah Ashely holds Helena Capital's school record for career kills, while helping the Bruins to a 2018 state title. Sophia Meyers was the 2019 Metro League MVP, leading the state of Washington in hitting. Kellie Van Kirk was a four-sport athlete at Manhattan Christian High School in Bozeman, earning all-state honors in volleyball.
IN THE MIDDLE
The middle-blocker position is where Montana sees its most turnover, losing two standout players from the 2019 season. Janna Grimsrud started 28 matches and led the Grizzlies for blocking and hitting percentage, while becoming one of the league's top blockers. Missy Huddleston started the season on the right side, before transitioning to the left and turning Montana's season around on both a team and individual level. She was one of the league's top players over the final five weeks of the season, twice earning Big Sky Conference Player-of-the-Week honors before being named to the All-Big Sky Conference second team.
The position will be a work in progress, but the hope is that it will evolve, just as it did a season ago. Entering 2019, Grimsrud became one of the league's top middle blockers after recording just six kills in sporadic time in 2018. Huddleston didn't become a true force until midway through the season.
Returning with the most experience at the position is Kelly Horning, now a sophomore. During her freshman season, Horning played in 22 matches, starting 19. She totaled 64 kills and 49 blocks, leading the Griz for blocking five times. The only other middle blocker with experience is Alicia Wallingford, who as a freshman in 2019 played in eight sets and recorded two blocks, and was named the team's most-improved player at the end-of-season awards banquet.
Competing for playing time will also be a trio of newcomers.
The veteran of the bunch if Peyten Boutwell, a graduate transfer from Abilene Christian. Her four-year collegiate career, which began in 2016 at UC Riverside, hasn't gone the way she likely expected, playing in 18 total matches prior to coming to Missoula, but is expected to be a major factor for the Griz.
"We're more returner heavy than we technically are on paper," Lawrence said. "All eight of our newcomers have bought into our system and our culture, but they also do leadership in a way that has allowed our returners to teach but also be taught by the new players, who have a new perspective. I think it's been really healthy and has allowed us to grow in ways that we haven't been able to previously."
Freshman Madi Chuhlantseff was a three-time all-conference selection in Oregon, helping West Salem High School to a 2019 Mountain Valley Conference championship, while also winning a bronze medal at the 2019 GJNC nationals. Fellow freshman Ellie Scherffius graduated from Chugiak High School in Alaska, but was familiar with the Treasure State, having earned all-conference honors at Billings West High School, where she spent her first three high-school seasons. Away from volleyball, the talented athlete is a state record-holder in track in both Montana and Alaska.
BACK-ROW DEFENSE
Now in her third season, libero Sarina Moreno is again expected to play a major role for the Grizzlies' back-row defense. In her first two seasons, she has played in 57 matches, starting 54 at the libero position, where she has racked up more than 800 digs. In 2018, as a freshman, her 429 digs were the 11th-most in school history. In 2019, in addition to 375 digs, she ranked second on the team for service aces (21) and serve-receive percentage (.937).
Isabelle Garrido had a strong freshman season, recording 212 digs and 16 service aces, while playing in more than 90 percent of the team's sets, starting eight matches. Kelsey Nestegard was named the team's scout-team MVP in 2019. During her freshman season, she played in 15 sets, recording nine digs and two service aces.
A NEW FORMAT
The 2020 schedule was supposed to be one of Montana's best, with the Grizzlies bringing in big-name opponents like Oregon State of the Pac-12 and Gonzaga. Instead, they will have to settle for a 16-match all-Big Sky slate.
And as much as Lawrence would love to have a full set of matches, including the contest against her alma mater, that's just fine by her.
"We're just through the roof with excitement that we get to play," Lawrence said. "We're ready to compete in whatever way we're able to."
In a new format this year, Big Sky teams will play the same opponent on back-to-back nights in the same venue. Previously, teams would play most opponents twice, once at home and once on the road. In order to accommodate facility needs, matches this year will be played on Sundays and Mondays.
Montana's home opponents will be Weber State (Jan. 31-Feb. 1), Montana State (Feb. 14-15), Idaho (Feb. 28-March 1) and Sacramento State (March 21-22). In addition to this week's trip to Idaho State, Montana will travel to Southern Utah (Feb. 7-8), Eastern Washington (Feb. 21-22) and Portland State (March 7-8). The Grizzlies' bye week will come prior to their regular-season finale, on the weekend of March 14-15. The eight-team Big Sky Conference tournament will be held March 31-April 2 in Greeley, Colorado.
The new format, playing on consecutive nights and against the same team twice in a row, instead of spaced out several weeks, will create a new challenge for coaches.
"It will be fun, but very different," Lawrence said. "I think there will be a lot of unpredictable outcomes, and the depth of people's rosters will be more important than ever. How well can you hold on to momentum from a win on the first night? How efficiently can you bounce back from a loss? How well can you make adjustments, not in a matter of weeks but in 24 hours?
"We all will be challenged in new ways, but I think it will make us better and create a lot of excitement for the fans."
PRESEASON EXPECTATIONS
If one were to look at Montana's overall record in any of the past several seasons, nothing would jump off the page. However, results have steadily come each year under Lawrence's leadership, with the Grizzlies qualifying for the Big Sky Conference tournament each of the past two seasons.
Lawrence took over a program that had won just five games in the year prior to her arrival, but she guided the Grizzlies to eight wins in her first season and back-to-back Big Sky Conference tournament appearances in 2018 and 2019, something that hadn't happened since 2013-14. Over the past two seasons, Lawrence has also developed a pair of All-Big Sky selections in Mykaela Hammer and Huddleston.
At the time she took over as head coach, Montana ranked last or second-to-last in the Big Sky Conference in every statistical category. The Grizzlies have risen by at least three spots in each category, and have increased their assists, kills and digs by roughly 100 spots apiece in the national rankings, and their blocks by more than 150 spots.
Perhaps most impressive, though, has been Lawrence's ability to exceed expectations. All three seasons under Lawrence, Montana has finished higher than its preseason ranking. Montana will once again try to do so this spring.
Prior to the 2020 season being postponed, the league's head coaches selected Montana to finish tied for seventh with Portland State in the preseason poll. Northern Colorado was the overwhelming favorite to repeat as champions, earning 10 of 11 first-place votes, followed by Northern Arizona and Weber State, Montana State, Sacramento State, Idaho, and Montana and Portland State. Rounding out the preseason poll, which was announced in July, was Southern Utah, Idaho State and Eastern Washington.
SCOUTING IDAHO STATE
- Like Montana, Idaho State has plenty of turnovers from its 2019 roster, returning 26 percent of its offense.
- Eight of Idaho State's 13 players are new to the team, although four of the five returners started for the Bengals in 2019.
- The Bengals are led by senior middle blocker Taylor Meeks, who finished 2019 ranks fourth in the Big Sky with a .327 hitting percentage and was named to the All-Big Sky second team. She also added 2.15 kills and a team-best 0.97 blocks per set during her junior season.
- Junior outside hitter Reagan Kunz (formerly Steiner) also returns. Kunz ranked in the top 15 in the league with 226 kills in 2019.
- Idaho State held an exhibition match Thursday at Utah Valley, falling in straight sets (25-20, 25-20, 25-13).
- ISU went 7-23 in 2019, including a 4-14 mark in league play. The Bengals beat Montana in Missoula (3-0), before Montana returned the favor the following month in Pocatello (3-1).
- Head coach Sammi Stuart is in her second season leading the Bengals. She previously served as an assistant coach at Utah State, Arizona State and BYU.
Montana holds a 43-37 advantage over Idaho State, in a series that dates back to 1978. The Grizzlies are 17-23 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. One year later, the Grizzlies again beat the Bengals on the final night of the regular season to once again reach the conference tournament.
- In Montana's home match vs. Idaho State in October 2019, Elsa Godwin recorded 11 kills on .429 hitting. In the November win, Amethyst Harper totaled 21 kills on .388 hitting, while Catie Semadeni added 12 kills and Godwin chipped in with 11 kills and four service aces. Sarina Moreno had 24 digs and two aces, while Isabelle Garrido added 10.
- 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 12 matches in the series have gone to five sets.
Additional volleyball links:
- Video: 2019 freshman highlights
- Volleyball jumping into data thanks to help from across campus
- Gallery: Spring volleyball practice
- Video: 1st spring practice
- Reward in sight for volleyball team
- Video: Update with Lawrence
- 30 years later: 1990 volleyball team broke through with 1st NCAA tournament berth
- Get To Know The Griz: Van Kirk & Ashley
- Video: Maroon-Silver Scrimmage
- Gallery: Maroon-Silver Scrimmage
- Clark, Dennison sign to play volleyball at Montana
- Get To Know The Griz: Godwin & Nestegard
- Volleyball scheduled to begin spring season Jan. 24
- November photo gallery
- Halloween photo gallery
- Scrimmage #1 photo gallery
- Volleyball mixes it up with scrimmage
- Inside The Den volleyball podcast
- Get To Know The Griz: Boutwell & Semadeni
- Fall practice video
- September photo gallery
- Get To Know The Griz: Harper & Garrido
- Media Day video
- Freshmen taking advantage of delayed start
- August photo gallery
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