Sunday, March 28
Missoula, Mont.
Noon
Montana
5-0-0, 4-0-0BSC
3
vs
0
Portland State
0-6-0, 0-6-0BSC
1
2
F
Portland State
0
0
0
Montana
1
2
3
Photo by: Derek Johnson
Howard sets record, Griz roll
3/28/2021 4:54:00 PM | Soccer
Claire Howard became the Big Sky Conference leader for career shutouts on Sunday when the Montana soccer team blanked Portland State at Missoula County Stadium to remain unbeaten on the season.
The Grizzlies (5-0-0, 4-0-0 BSC) got a first-half goal from Taylor Stoeger, then pulled away in the second half behind goals from Alexa Coyle and Allie Larsen to win 3-0.
It was the 30th career shutout for Howard, who broke the Big Sky record held by Savannah Abercrombie, a goalkeeper at Sacramento State from 2008-11.
"It's pretty humbling," Howard said. "It takes all of us. As I always say, it takes a village, and this village is pretty special. I'm surrounded by incredible people who make my job so easy."
Howard made three saves to record her fourth shutout in five matches this season. She had seven shutouts as a freshman, 10 as a sophomore, nine in 2019.
"When milestones happen, it's just a moment of reflection," she said. "The commitment to defending started long before I got here and will continue long after, so I feel like I'm standing on the shoulders of giants."
The lone goal Howard has allowed this season came on Friday night, in Montana's 2-1 victory over the Vikings (0-6-0, 0-6-0 BSC).
Sunday's match was nowhere near as close or as tense.
Stoeger made it 1-0 in the 14th minute when Larsen played a free kick into the box. Stoeger held off an opponent with her off arm, spun and shot past PSU goalkeeper Enya Hernandez inside left post.
Montana jumped out to a 1-0 lead on Friday as well, but the Vikings matched it with a first-half goal of their own.
On Sunday Montana allowed Portland State just one shot over the first 88 minutes.
"Our confidence level is high," said outside back Taylor Hansen. "We know what we have to do on the field, and we're working our hardest to get it done.
"We have a lot of really good players, a lot of depth, people who can come in and dominate, and we have a keeper like Claire Howard who keeps breaking records. We just love to play."
Montana went up 2-0 in the 54th minute when Hansen played the ball up the right side and sent in a cross that Alexa Coyle headed in, Abby Wambach style, for her team-leading third goal of the season.
It was her 17th career goal.
In the 79th minute, Larsen scored the first of her career. She found space 30 years out and sent a laser into the far left corner.
Montana would finish with a 16-3 advantage in shots.
"At the start, they played the same way as they did on Friday, but there wasn't the same energy to it," said coach Chris Citowicki.
"Once we got our second one, they changed and became a bit more aggressive, so we looked to start playing more direct."
The nature of the match allowed Citowicki to go eight deep into his bench. Six of those reserves played at least 27 minutes.
"There is a lot of competition for spots, yet the harmony of this group is exactly what I want it to be," said Citowicki. "It's hard having that much talent and people chomping for playing time. Yet they support each other and push each other through it.
"It could go the other way, yet our group just wants to move forward together and get this done together."
The win keeps Montana atop the Northwest Division of the Big Sky standings with two weeks of regular-season matches remaining.
Eastern Washington (2-0-2 BSC) and Idaho (4-2-0 BSC) also are above .500 in the Northwest, with Northern Arizona (5-0-0 BSC) and Northern Colorado (2-0-0 BSC) unbeaten in the Southeast.
The top two teams from each division will advance to Ogden, Utah, next month for the four-team Big Sky tournament.
"This is a pretty special team," added Howard. "We're in a unique time when we got to spend a lot of time together in the fall and the spring.
"There is this closeness and this family about it that will make us hard to beat down the stretch. It's more than a game. It's a family for us."
On Sunday that family helped her establish a new Big Sky record. She may stand on the shoulders of giants, but on this day she stood alone, the one that towered over the rest, as history-makers do.
The Grizzlies (5-0-0, 4-0-0 BSC) got a first-half goal from Taylor Stoeger, then pulled away in the second half behind goals from Alexa Coyle and Allie Larsen to win 3-0.
It was the 30th career shutout for Howard, who broke the Big Sky record held by Savannah Abercrombie, a goalkeeper at Sacramento State from 2008-11.
"It's pretty humbling," Howard said. "It takes all of us. As I always say, it takes a village, and this village is pretty special. I'm surrounded by incredible people who make my job so easy."
Howard made three saves to record her fourth shutout in five matches this season. She had seven shutouts as a freshman, 10 as a sophomore, nine in 2019.
"When milestones happen, it's just a moment of reflection," she said. "The commitment to defending started long before I got here and will continue long after, so I feel like I'm standing on the shoulders of giants."
The lone goal Howard has allowed this season came on Friday night, in Montana's 2-1 victory over the Vikings (0-6-0, 0-6-0 BSC).
Sunday's match was nowhere near as close or as tense.
Stoeger made it 1-0 in the 14th minute when Larsen played a free kick into the box. Stoeger held off an opponent with her off arm, spun and shot past PSU goalkeeper Enya Hernandez inside left post.
Montana jumped out to a 1-0 lead on Friday as well, but the Vikings matched it with a first-half goal of their own.
On Sunday Montana allowed Portland State just one shot over the first 88 minutes.
"Our confidence level is high," said outside back Taylor Hansen. "We know what we have to do on the field, and we're working our hardest to get it done.
"We have a lot of really good players, a lot of depth, people who can come in and dominate, and we have a keeper like Claire Howard who keeps breaking records. We just love to play."
Montana went up 2-0 in the 54th minute when Hansen played the ball up the right side and sent in a cross that Alexa Coyle headed in, Abby Wambach style, for her team-leading third goal of the season.
It was her 17th career goal.
In the 79th minute, Larsen scored the first of her career. She found space 30 years out and sent a laser into the far left corner.
Montana would finish with a 16-3 advantage in shots.
"At the start, they played the same way as they did on Friday, but there wasn't the same energy to it," said coach Chris Citowicki.
"Once we got our second one, they changed and became a bit more aggressive, so we looked to start playing more direct."
The nature of the match allowed Citowicki to go eight deep into his bench. Six of those reserves played at least 27 minutes.
"There is a lot of competition for spots, yet the harmony of this group is exactly what I want it to be," said Citowicki. "It's hard having that much talent and people chomping for playing time. Yet they support each other and push each other through it.
"It could go the other way, yet our group just wants to move forward together and get this done together."
The win keeps Montana atop the Northwest Division of the Big Sky standings with two weeks of regular-season matches remaining.
Eastern Washington (2-0-2 BSC) and Idaho (4-2-0 BSC) also are above .500 in the Northwest, with Northern Arizona (5-0-0 BSC) and Northern Colorado (2-0-0 BSC) unbeaten in the Southeast.
The top two teams from each division will advance to Ogden, Utah, next month for the four-team Big Sky tournament.
"This is a pretty special team," added Howard. "We're in a unique time when we got to spend a lot of time together in the fall and the spring.
"There is this closeness and this family about it that will make us hard to beat down the stretch. It's more than a game. It's a family for us."
On Sunday that family helped her establish a new Big Sky record. She may stand on the shoulders of giants, but on this day she stood alone, the one that towered over the rest, as history-makers do.
Team Stats
PSU
UM
Goals
0
3
Shots
3
16
Shots on Goal
3
10
Saves
7
3
Corners
2
8
Fouls
13
10
Scoring Plays
Stoeger, Taylor (2)
Assisted By: Larsen, Allie
GOAL by UM Stoeger, Taylor (FIRST GOAL), Assist by Larsen, Allie, goal number 2 for season.
13:37
Coyle, Alexa (3)
Assisted By: Hansen, Taylor
GOAL by UM Coyle, Alexa, Assist by Hansen, Taylor, goal number 3 for season.
53:32
Larsen, Allie (1)
GOAL by UM Larsen, Allie, goal number 1 for season.
78:04
Game Leaders
Shots
1
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
1
Shots
5
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
0
fwd
Shots
3
SOG
3
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
2
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
1
Players Mentioned
F
/ SoccerD
/ Soccer
G
/ SoccerD
/ SoccerF
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