Grizzlies back on the road for opportunities at Southern Utah

Sunday, February 7

Cedar City, Utah

1 PM

Montana

Southern Utah

Catie Semadeni, Madi Chuhlantseff vs. Weber State - 2/1/21

Photo by: Todd Goodrich

Grizzlies back on the road for opportunities at Southern Utah

2/5/2021 5:17:00 PM | Volleyball

Schedule Roster Statistics

By: Montana Sports Information

Montana saw major growth last week, even though the Grizzlies went 0-2. Playing against first-place Weber State, Montana won just one set, but believes it was closer than the final scores indicated. There's truth to that, too, with Montana reaching 20 points or more in four of seven sets.

In the first match vs. the Wildcats, the first two sets alone featured 23 tie scores and 13 lead changes. In the opening set, Montana hit a blistering .414 and was the first team to 20 points, before eventually falling 25-23. The Grizzlies led on several occasions in the second set, as well, including by multiple points at 17-15.

While Montana played solid in the first match, even bigger was the growth the Grizzlies displayed in the 24 hours from the first meeting to the second. After falling behind on Monday, 2-0, Montana showed it isn't a team that will go away quietly, winning the third set by a wide margin, 25-16. The Grizzlies then were inches away from sending the match to a fifth set, having set-point opportunities at 25-24 and 26-25 before losing an extended set, 28-26.

"Last night we showed some bright spots but were inconsistent, particularly under pressure," an encouraged Lawrence said on Monday. "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."

Montana isn't quite at the caliber of Weber State, a team that won 26 matches a season ago and played in the quarterfinals of the NIVC postseason tournament, but believes it has growing potential.

Enter Southern Utah this week.

Unlike Weber State, the Big Sky Conference's only unbeaten team through two weeks, the Thunderbirds are winless at 0-3. Southern Utah was picked just behind Montana in the preseason poll, and the two teams split last year's meetings, with each team winning on its home court.

First serve on Sunday is scheduled for 1 p.m., before the two teams meet again on Monday at 6 p.m. Both matches can be streamed for free on Pluto TV (channel 1055).

SERIES VS. SOUTHERN UTAH

Southern Utah enters the weekend with an 0-3 mark on the season, losing to Dixie State (3-0), before a pair of road losses to Idaho (3-1, 3-0).
Sophomore middle blocker Raegen Ashby ranks seventh in the Big Sky Conference with a .333 hitting percentage, recording 21 kills compared to just six errors.
Senior outside hitter Stacey Hone and junior outside hitter Andreanna McKee both rank in the top 10 in the Big Sky for kills. Both average at least 3.00 kills per set. Hone had 17 kills in the first match at Idaho, while McKee has been in double figures for kills twice this season.
Junior setter Corrin Peterson leads the Big Sky with 10.86 assists per set. She had 46 assists in Sunday's loss to Idaho, but missed Monday's match.
Junior middle blocker Bridget Triplett and Hone both rank in the top 10 in the Big Sky with 1.00 blocks per set apiece.
Southern Utah's best statistical categories are blocking (2.10, sixth) and service aces (1.50, sixth).
The Thunderbirds saw a six-win improvement from 2018 to 2019, closing the year with a 15-16 record that ended in the quarterfinals of the Big Sky Conference tournament.
Southern Utah was picked to finish ninth in the Big Sky preseason poll, which was announced last summer.
Peter Hoyer is in his third season leading the Thunderbirds. He previously was the head coach at Dayton, winning a pair of Atlantic 10 titles, before becoming an assistant at NC State and the associate head coach at UTSA.

SCOUTING THE THUNDERBIRDS
In a series that began in 2011, Montana holds a 7-6 advantage over Southern Utah, including a 3-3 mark in Cedar City.

In November 2019 in Missoula, Montana put together one of its cleanest matches of the season, hitting a season-high .324 while tallying 12 blocks and 10 service aces. In the four-set win, Amethyst Harper had 10 kills, while Elsa Godwin added eight kills and Catie Semadeni chipped in with seven – on .300 hitting – in addition to four blocks. Harper led Montana with 17 kills in a four-set road loss to the Thunderbirds the month prior, with Montana recording 11 more digs than Southern Utah, but also being blocked 15 times and aced on eight occasions.

In 2018, Montana earned a five-set road win at Southern Utah, with four of the five sets being decided by the minimum two points.

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

STRONG DEFENSE
Montana's top two statistical categories are both on the defensive end. The Grizzlies rank fifth in the Big Sky Conference for blocking (2.20 per set) and sixth for digs (15.07 per set).

Montana has recorded 10 or more blocks in two of its four matches, including 14 in its season opener at Idaho State. Over the past five seasons, the Grizzlies just twice have recorded more blocks in a match than their performance vs. the Bengals.

Montana's 15.07 digs-per-set average is aided by Sarina Moreno (3.93) and Amethyst Harper (3.53). The Grizzlies are the league's only team with two players averaging at least 3.50 digs per set.

Montana has out-dug its opponent in three of four matches this season, and most recently, both Moreno (22) and Harper (21) surpassed 20 digs in the four-set contest. On the season, Moreno has reached 15 or more digs three times.

KILLS FROM THE OUTSIDE
Montana has gotten strong production from its pair of young outside hitters. Sophomore Amethyst Harper (3.40) and freshman Sophia Meyers (2.53) have both shined bright through two weeks, with Harper being in double figures in all four matches and Meyers doing so three times.

For Harper, the consistent production has carried over from last year. In 2019, Harper set a Montana freshman record with 355 kills, ranking fifth in the Big Sky Conference with 3.71 kills per set. She was in double figures for kills 19 times on the season, including the final 12 contests – which has now extended to 16 after four double-digit kill totals in 2021.

Just two weeks into her collegiate career, Meyers is following in Harper's footsteps with three double-digit kill totals. Her most impressive performance – so far – came last week vs. Weber State, when the freshman recorded 10 kills and zero errors (10-0-16) for a .625 hitting percentage.

IN THE RANKINGS
Several Grizzlies are in the Big Sky Conference's top-10 rankings for a handful of statistical categories:

Sarina Moreno – 3.93 digs per set (fifth)
Carly Anderson – 8.07 assists per set (sixth)
Peyten Boutwell – .338 hitting percentage (sixth)
Amethyst Harper – 3.40 kills per set (sixth), 3.53 digs per set (ninth)

TRENDING

After Montana opened its season with a 3-2 road win over Idaho State, the Grizzlies have lost three consecutive matches.
Montana has started three freshmen in all four matches this season. Dating back to last season, the Grizzlies have started three or more freshmen in 35 consecutive matches.
Freshman setter Carly Anderson has 30 or more assists in three of four matches this season, but the versatile player does so much more than set the ball. For example, blocking: a Grizzly has reached four or blocks in a match five times this season, with Anderson doing so twice, despite standing at 5-9. The Canadian also has seven or more digs in three matches this season, and has two dump kills in three consecutive contests. Anderson recorded a career-high three service aces in Montana's most-recent match vs. Weber State.
Freshman middle blocker Madi Chuhlantseff had a strong series vs. Weber State, recording 15 kills (1.9 per set) on .343 hitting in two matches vs. the Wildcats. She also added eight blocks (1.2 per set). In the first match, Chuhlantseff recorded a season-high seven kills on .500 hitting (7-1-12). She had five blocks in the second meeting.
Senior middle blocker Peyten Boutwell is making the most of extended playing time with the Griz. After playing in just two matches in three seasons at Abilene Christian, Boutwell is starting for the Griz, and has been fantastic. From 2016-19, Boutwell recorded 22 career kills and 21 blocks. In four matches with the Grizzlies, she already has 32 kills (2.13 per set) and 17 blocks (1.13). Her 15-kill, 10-block performance in her season debut at Idaho State was Montana's best individual blocking performance since 2014, and the Grizzlies' first kills/blocks double-double since 2010.
Sophomore right-side hitter Catie Semadeni has increased her kill total in every match this season, paced by four kills in the second match vs. Weber State.
Sophomore outside hitter Elsa Godwin had two service aces in each of Montana's first three matches, and leads the team with six on the young season. Godwin also is averaging 2.47 digs per set.
Sophomore defensive specialist Kelsey Nestegard has regularly been used this season as a serving specialist, and made the most of the opportunity last week vs. Weber State, recording two service aces in the second match vs. the Wildcats. Nestegard now has four career service aces.

LOOKING AHEAD
Montana will return home to host Montana State in the Brawl of the Wild. The two teams have split the season series each of the past two years, with Montana winning, 3-1, in October 2019 in Bozeman.

All of Montana's Sunday matches have been moved to 4 p.m. starts, meaning the Griz and Bobcats will play Sunday, Feb. 14 at 4 p.m. and Monday, Feb. 15 at 7 p.m.