Montana hangs with 1st-place Weber State in defeat

Monday, February 1

Missoula, Mont.

7 PM

Montana

1-3, 1-3Big Sky

Weber State

4-0, 4-0Big Sky

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
Weber State	25	25	16	28	3
Montana	21	14	25	26	1

Isabelle Garrido fives for the ball during Montana’s loss to Weber State on Feb 1, 2021.

Photo by: Tommy Martino

2/1/2021 10:43:00 PM | Volleyball

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By: Montana Sports Information

MISSOULA, Mont. – Montana closed the second week of the volleyball season on Monday with a 3-1 loss to first-place Weber State (25-21, 25-14, 16-25, 28-26).

After falling behind 2-0, Montana showed that it isn't a team that will go away quietly. The Grizzlies put together one of their better sets of the season in the third frame, hitting .268 and never trailing in a 25-16 win. Each time the Wildcats looked as if they would string together a run, Montana quickly stopped it and extended its lead. The Wildcats were forced to call timeout trailing 13-8 and again at 17-11, before Montana pushed its lead ever further, to as many as nine points.

"I think gutsy and aggressive serving, and assertive serving, allowed us to feel confident that we were the aggressors," head coach Allison Lawrence said of the third set. "Once we felt our power to control those things, I think it opened up our offense to swing big and make aggressive decisions."

Weber State then jumped out to a 10-6 lead in Set 4, looking as if it would make quick work of the Grizzlies to finish off the match. But Montana responded with six consecutive points to not only erase the deficit, but take the lead, 12-10. During the 6-0 run, Montana got production from a variety of players, including kills from Peyten Boutwell and Sophia Meyers, blocks from Carly Anderson and Madi Chuhlantseff and an ace from Sarina Moreno.

From that point forward, Montana trailed for just five more points (the Grizzlies led for 18 points), but the Wildcats converted at the most opportune times.

Gallery: (2-1-2021) VB: vs. Weber State (02.01.21)

After the set saw tie scores at each point from 18-18 through 24-24, Montana got a tip kill from Amethyst Harper to give Montana a 25-24 lead and an opportunity to extend the match to a fifth set. Weber State responded with a kill of its own, before Harper again converted to give Montana another set-point opportunity.

The Wildcats, though, fought off another set point, before recording a service ace and a kill to win the set, 28-26, and the match, 3-1.

In a fourth set that featured 13 tie scores and eight lead changes, Weber State's 28-26 lead was its first of more than one point since the Wildcats led 10-8.

"When the match was on the line in the fourth set, we held up passing really well, and we had swings for the set," Lawrence said. "We were in position to do it, and we were right there."

Chuhlantseff gives the Griz the lead with a huge block!#GrizVB #GoGriz pic.twitter.com/7Hrluc6MhJ
— Montana Griz VB (@MontanaGrizVB) February 2, 2021

Weber State won the first set 25-21. After Montana fell behind 19-15, the Grizzlies rattled off five of the next six points to tie the set at 20-20, but could never take the lead. The Grizzlies led the second set, 9-7, before a 12-1 run put the Wildcats in comfortable control of the set.

On the night, Montana was led by 12 kills apiece from both Amethyst Harper and Meyers. Chuhlantseff had an impressive night in the middle, recording eight kills and five blocks – both of which are career highs for the young freshman.

Harper with another powerful swing!#GrizVB #GoGriz pic.twitter.com/iT01ybX8E9
— Montana Griz VB (@MontanaGrizVB) February 2, 2021

Anderson, another freshman, ran the offense at the setter position, recording 38 assists, seven digs and four blocks, but she also had three service aces. She was regularly at the service line during Montana runs, including in the third set, when she pushed the Grizzlies' lead from 10-8 to 13-8 and forced a Wildcats timeout, and again in the fourth set, when Montana took a 16-13 lead after trailing 13-12.

Anderson with the strong serve!#GrizVB #GoGriz pic.twitter.com/pwrlyFZh6i
— Montana Griz VB (@MontanaGrizVB) February 2, 2021

Serving was one of the things Lawrence was impressed by on Monday. In addition to the six aces Montana served up, including two from sophomore Kelsey Nestegard, she felt her team put Weber State in some tough positions due to its serving. Montana was also able to tally 72 digs against a strong offensive team, with Moreno recording 22 – she also had an ace and served during Montana's 6-0 Set-4 run – and 21 from Harper.

Nestegard with a huge ace to start set 4!#GrizVB #GoGriz pic.twitter.com/adSENkEiVk
— Montana Griz VB (@MontanaGrizVB) February 2, 2021

The difference on the night seemed to be Weber State's ability to terminate on offense. The two sides had the same number of swings (155 to 155) and were within one error of each other (21 to 22), but Weber State had nine more kills than Montana (55 to 46). Senior Rylin Adams had a career-high 24 kills for the Wildcats, on .375 hitting.

Montana showed growth from last week to this week, and again from Sunday to Monday, especially against a quality team like Weber State, which won 26 matches a season ago and is currently the only unbeaten team in the Big Sky Conference.

Now, Montana will look to take another step forward next week, traveling to Cedar City, Utah, for a two-match series against Southern Utah.

"Last night we showed some bright spots but were inconsistent, particularly under pressure," Lawrence said. "Tonight, there was all kinds of pressure, and I feel like we executed really well under pressure and stayed aggressive. That's the team we train to be and aim to be, and that was the response we were looking for.

"To be young and inexperienced but to make experienced choices in pressure situations shows a ton of growth and belief. I love their heart and their spirit, and the way they keep regrouping and keep believing and keep pushing."