Griz open road trip with 2-1 win

Friday, October 15

Moscow, Idaho

7 PM (MT)

Montana

8-5-1, 4-1-1BSC

Idaho

8-5-2, 2-4-1BSC

Montana

Idaho

Photos: Idaho Athletics

10/15/2021 11:08:00 PM | Soccer

Box Score

By: Montana Sports Information

The scoring summary would suggest Montana, which fell behind less than four minutes in, rallied with two second-half goals and was able to escape with a 2-1 victory over Idaho on Friday night at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow.

What actually happened was a lot more one-sided in favor of the visitors, who are now 5-0-0 in Moscow since the Vandals moved inside the dome for their home matches.

After conceding a goal just 3:06 in, the earliest Montana has allowed a goal since Washington State scored at 1:57 back in 2018, the Grizzlies overwhelmed the Vandals, outshooting them 22-5 over the final 87 minutes and generating 15 corner kicks, the most for the program since 2017.

It was a just result for a match Montana, which limited Idaho (8-5-2, 2-4-1 BSC) to five shots over the final 87 minutes, held possession for more than 60 percent of the time, unheard of for a road team in Big Sky Conference play.

"It was the most complete performance I've experienced in my time here. I'm just immensely proud of them," said fourth-year coach Chris Citowicki. "It was just an onslaught. We were so comfortable in possession of the ball."

Montana (8-5-1, 4-1-1 BSC) trailed at the half, but it felt like it was only going to be a matter of time before the breakthrough came. It was.

Less than two minutes after the start of the second half, Taylor Hansen took a shot that Sami Siems cunningly high-stepped over, which partly shielded Idaho goalkeeper Avrie Fox.

Fox couldn't complete the save, and Taylor Stoeger was there for the loose-ball rebound to even the score at 1-1.

The assist was the 15th of her career for Hansen, who moved into sixth place on the Montana career list.

A few minutes later, McKenzie Kilpatrick touched her way past a defender on the left side and sent a shot ringing off the crossbar. Within a mess of bodies in front, Stoeger collected the ball and finished for her fourth goal of the season, the ninth of her career.

"We worked all week on scoring goals in the box like that, and that's exactly what she did," said Citowicki. "She scored two scrappy goals. We just said, be there. Be the first one to the ball. Brilliant goals."

It was Montana's first time scoring multiple goals in a match in more than a month and the first time this season against an opponent that wasn't MSU Billings or Texas Southern.

After Montana played to an unsatisfying 0-0 home draw with Portland State two weeks ago, the Grizzlies were shut out again on Sunday, 1-0 at Northern Colorado.

If Montana wanted to play in games that were no longer 0-0 or 1-0, as its previous seven outcomes were, something needed to change.

That it happened this quickly, from the first practice back on Tuesday to game time on Friday night, was striking. Within days, Montana seemed to have completely changed its identity, from one that was all about the defense to one that could defend while also being free-flowing on offense.

"That's exactly what we did," said Citowicki. "The amount of information that has come into them over the last four days, then applying every single piece of it into a performance when you're down 1-0 was just amazing."

In the locker room before the match, assistant coach J. Landham broke it down for the Grizzlies like this: Picture a two-sided scale, then picture all of Montana's rocks on one side of it. That would be the defensive side, and the results were there, with one goal allowed over the previous eight matches.

There was a lot to like with that approach, but that team also lost to Big Sky leader Northern Colorado on Sunday because of a lack of scoring punch to respond to UNC's goal late in the first half. Even with a full second half to play, the match felt decided.

Montana had four days to even the scales or at least start the process of doing so in the lead-up to next month's Big Sky tournament, where it just feels like a second matchup with the Bears is coming.

"We needed to even it out," said Citowicki. "We're not saying we're only attacking now. We're taking some of (the rocks) from here and putting them over here, on this side. We're making a commitment to both and we're going to put in a balanced performance for the first time in forever."

Did they ever.

"They were so comfortable and confident, never panicking that we were going to lose, even when we went down a goal," said Citowicki. "It was just play our game and figure it out. It's the least stressed I've been on the sideline. I felt like it was going to happen and it did."

Montana took 22 shots, its most in a road match since the 2019 season. The Grizzlies put 14 of those on goal. The time of possession told the story. On the road, in league, Montana dominated by a degree that was more than the 2-1 result on the scoreboard.

"We weren't playing Texas Southern," said Citowicki. "We were playing a good Big Sky team that does well and is up to play us.

"Can we put up a complete performance on both sides of the field tonight? I felt like we did that extremely well. I couldn't be more proud of them. It was a very professional performance."

It was Montana's first time coming back from a halftime deficit to win since overcoming a 1-0 hole at home against Idaho State in October 2019 in a 2-1 win.

Allie Larsen took a team-high five shots, Stoeger four, all of them on goal. The assist for Kilpatrick on Stoeger's second goal was the third of her career.

Xu made three saves to improve to 8-4-1 on the season.

Montana will play at Eastern Washington (5-10-0, 3-4-0 BSC) at 2 p.m. (MT) on Sunday. The Eagles lost 1-0 to Big Sky leader Northern Colorado on Friday, giving up the game-winner in the 87th minute.