Sunday, March 21
Missoula, Mont.
4 PM
Montana
2-13, 2-13Big Sky
1
vs
3
Sacramento State
9-6, 9-6Big Sky
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sacramento State | 19 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
| Montana | 25 | 21 | 20 | 23 | 1 |
Photo by: Todd Goodrich
Griz hold early leads, can’t finish in loss to Sacramento State
3/21/2021 7:39:00 PM | Volleyball
MISSOULA, Mont. – Montana had its opportunities on Sunday afternoon, but couldn't fully capitalize on them, falling in four sets to Sacramento State (19-25, 25-21, 25-20, 25-23).
Playing against a team in the upper-half of the Big Sky Conference standings, Montana turned a tight opening set into a 25-19 win, closing on a 7-2 run and taking the early momentum. Montana carried that over to the second set, where the Grizzlies led by as many as five points, including at 16-11, before a 6-0 run doomed the Grizzlies. Montana also had opportunities in the fourth set. Montana led by as many as seven points, and held a six-point advantage at 20-14, just five points away from sending the match to a fifth set.
However, coming out of a timeout, Sacramento State scored the next six points to tie the score at 20-20, and took its first lead since early in the set moments later.
"When you give up a six-point run in one rotation it never feels like you can breathe again," head coach Allison Lawrence said. "When you started to see them roll, they started fighting for swings for their middles in transition and started playing to their strengths, which got us on our heels."
On the afternoon, Montana out-dug a Sacramento State team that ranks second in the league for digs. Five Grizzlies were in double figures for digs, including junior libero Sarina Moreno – who totaled 19, in addition to a service ace – and freshmen Sophia Meyers (17) and Carly Anderson (12), who both recorded double-doubles.
Montana couldn't always turn its digs into kills, however. Despite out-digging Sacramento State, 77 to 74, Montana posted 20 fewer kills than the Hornets (62 to 42).
The Grizzlies remained competitive, though, by taking care of their side of the net. They made 12 fewer errors overall, and got 18 total points at the service line, including six aces.
The Grizzlies trailed early, 8-6, before scoring the next six points and forcing a Sacramento State timeout. During the 6-0 spurt, the Grizzlies got three kills and a block from Meyers.
Montana was well on its way to winning the fourth set and needed just five points after taking a 20-14 lead on a Hornets attack error.
Sacramento State would get three kills and three blocks over the next six points, however, to tie the score at 20-20, and took the lead at 22-21 on a Montana attack error. Sacramento State would win the set, and match, five points later.
It was a similar story in the second set, which Montana led by as many as five points, including at 16-11. Sacramento State would score the next six points in that sequence – including back-to-back blocks – to take a 17-16 lead. An ace capped a 10-2 scoring run to give the Hornets a 21-18 lead, which they would never release.
Montana never led in the third set, but tied the score at 17-17 after falling behind early by as many as nine, 15-6. During the Grizzlies' 11-2 scoring run, they got four kills from sophomore outside hitter Amethyst Harper, including one to tie the score at 17-17.
The Hornets responded with the next four points, though, to reclaim the lead.
Gallery: (3-21-2021) VB: vs. Sacramento State (03.21.21)
Montana won the first set in impressive fashion, scoring seven of the final nine points.
The match began with ties at 10 consecutive points before the Grizzlies took either team's largest lead, at 12-10, on an Isabelle Garrido service ace. Montana would trail at just one point after that, at 15-14, but the set remained tight, with neither team leading by more than two points before the Grizzlies scored three consecutive points – including a Harper ace – to take a 21-17 lead. Montana would win the set six points later.
In the set, Montana hit .216 with just three attack errors, but even more impressive, the Grizzlies were able to side out at an 80-percent rate. Just once did Sacramento State score more than consecutive points.
"I thought we managed the scouting report really well in the first set," Lawrence said. "We served and passed in a way that allowed us to stay calm and be the aggressors. We've been working on playing clean volleyball and executing on our side, and we did that really well."
The Grizzlies will close their abbreviated spring 2021 season on Monday evening against Sacramento State (7 p.m.). The season has been filled with both promise and inconsistency, but the thing that Lawrence continues to hang her hat on is that the team is building toward the future.
"We're frustrated by our breakdowns, but we also know that we're pushing really good teams and feel like we can take control of sets against those types of teams," Lawrence said. "Those types of things are happening, and they're happening more consistently, which tells us to continue trusting the process.
"We know that what we take from this season will shape who we are in the fall. The stumbling blocks and growing pains are changing us in ways that we need to be changed."
Montana's lone senior, middle blocker Peyten Boutwell, announced earlier this week that she will be returning for another season in the fall.
Playing against a team in the upper-half of the Big Sky Conference standings, Montana turned a tight opening set into a 25-19 win, closing on a 7-2 run and taking the early momentum. Montana carried that over to the second set, where the Grizzlies led by as many as five points, including at 16-11, before a 6-0 run doomed the Grizzlies. Montana also had opportunities in the fourth set. Montana led by as many as seven points, and held a six-point advantage at 20-14, just five points away from sending the match to a fifth set.
However, coming out of a timeout, Sacramento State scored the next six points to tie the score at 20-20, and took its first lead since early in the set moments later.
"When you give up a six-point run in one rotation it never feels like you can breathe again," head coach Allison Lawrence said. "When you started to see them roll, they started fighting for swings for their middles in transition and started playing to their strengths, which got us on our heels."
On the afternoon, Montana out-dug a Sacramento State team that ranks second in the league for digs. Five Grizzlies were in double figures for digs, including junior libero Sarina Moreno – who totaled 19, in addition to a service ace – and freshmen Sophia Meyers (17) and Carly Anderson (12), who both recorded double-doubles.
Montana couldn't always turn its digs into kills, however. Despite out-digging Sacramento State, 77 to 74, Montana posted 20 fewer kills than the Hornets (62 to 42).
The Grizzlies remained competitive, though, by taking care of their side of the net. They made 12 fewer errors overall, and got 18 total points at the service line, including six aces.
Meyers led Montana with 12 kills, in addition to 17 digs and two service aces. Six of her kills came in the fourth set, when it looked as if the Grizzlies would extend the match to a fifth frame.Godwin with the ACE for the set point!#GrizVB #GoGriz #BigSkyVB pic.twitter.com/nLZH4uZ7Pv
— Montana Griz VB (@MontanaGrizVB) March 21, 2021
The Grizzlies trailed early, 8-6, before scoring the next six points and forcing a Sacramento State timeout. During the 6-0 spurt, the Grizzlies got three kills and a block from Meyers.
She recorded another kill moments later to give Montana a match-high seven-point lead, 17-10, which forced the Hornets to burn their final timeout.Meyers with the big kill!#GrizVB #GoGriz #BigSkyVB pic.twitter.com/LmFlaGafG3
— Montana Griz VB (@MontanaGrizVB) March 21, 2021
Montana was well on its way to winning the fourth set and needed just five points after taking a 20-14 lead on a Hornets attack error.
Sacramento State would get three kills and three blocks over the next six points, however, to tie the score at 20-20, and took the lead at 22-21 on a Montana attack error. Sacramento State would win the set, and match, five points later.
It was a similar story in the second set, which Montana led by as many as five points, including at 16-11. Sacramento State would score the next six points in that sequence – including back-to-back blocks – to take a 17-16 lead. An ace capped a 10-2 scoring run to give the Hornets a 21-18 lead, which they would never release.
Montana never led in the third set, but tied the score at 17-17 after falling behind early by as many as nine, 15-6. During the Grizzlies' 11-2 scoring run, they got four kills from sophomore outside hitter Amethyst Harper, including one to tie the score at 17-17.
The Hornets responded with the next four points, though, to reclaim the lead.
Montana won the first set in impressive fashion, scoring seven of the final nine points.
The match began with ties at 10 consecutive points before the Grizzlies took either team's largest lead, at 12-10, on an Isabelle Garrido service ace. Montana would trail at just one point after that, at 15-14, but the set remained tight, with neither team leading by more than two points before the Grizzlies scored three consecutive points – including a Harper ace – to take a 21-17 lead. Montana would win the set six points later.
In the set, Montana hit .216 with just three attack errors, but even more impressive, the Grizzlies were able to side out at an 80-percent rate. Just once did Sacramento State score more than consecutive points.
"I thought we managed the scouting report really well in the first set," Lawrence said. "We served and passed in a way that allowed us to stay calm and be the aggressors. We've been working on playing clean volleyball and executing on our side, and we did that really well."
Sunday was similar to what's been seen several times throughout the spring. Facing a team in the upper-half of the Big Sky standings, Montana out-played Sacramento State for much of the night and probably should have pushed the Hornets to five sets, if not a win. Earlier this spring against the regular-season champion Weber State Wildcats, it was similar with Montana taking a set off Weber State and holding a set-point opportunity in the fourth set, one point away from a fifth set. Last month, Montana took second-place Montana State to five sets, holding a match-point opportunity against the Bobcats.Chuhlantseff with the KILL! #GrizVB #GoGriz #BigSkyVB pic.twitter.com/l08fSDRRVS
— Montana Griz VB (@MontanaGrizVB) March 21, 2021
The Grizzlies will close their abbreviated spring 2021 season on Monday evening against Sacramento State (7 p.m.). The season has been filled with both promise and inconsistency, but the thing that Lawrence continues to hang her hat on is that the team is building toward the future.
"We're frustrated by our breakdowns, but we also know that we're pushing really good teams and feel like we can take control of sets against those types of teams," Lawrence said. "Those types of things are happening, and they're happening more consistently, which tells us to continue trusting the process.
"We know that what we take from this season will shape who we are in the fall. The stumbling blocks and growing pains are changing us in ways that we need to be changed."
Montana's lone senior, middle blocker Peyten Boutwell, announced earlier this week that she will be returning for another season in the fall.
Boutwell with a cross court kill to bring the Grizzlies to a 15-10 lead.#GrizVB #GoGriz #BigSkyVB pic.twitter.com/FZK9gOG0RS
— Montana Griz VB (@MontanaGrizVB) March 21, 2021
Team Stats
SAC
UM
Kills
62
42
Errors
27
20
Attempts
173
150
Hitting %
.202
.147
Points
79.0
54.0
Assists
56
39
Aces
5
6
Blocks
12.0
6.0
Game Leaders
Kills
12
Aces
2
Blocks
1
Kills
9
Aces
1
Blocks
0
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Kills
6
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Players Mentioned
S
/ VolleyballMB
/ Volleyball
DS
/ VolleyballOH
/ VolleyballOH
/ Volleyball
DS
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