Montana sweeps Player of the Week honors

Montana, which dropped a 2-1 decision at Cal Poly on Thursday before picking up its first win of the season on Sunday, a 4-0 victory over MSU Billings at South Campus Stadium, swept the Big Sky Conference Player of the Week awards on Tuesday.

Junior Jaden Griggs, who scored three goals on Sunday against the Yellowjackets to record Montana's first hat trick since 2011, was named the Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week.

Camellia Xu, who is replacing record-setting goalkeeper Claire Howard at that position as a redshirt freshman, was named the Big Sky Defensive Player of the Week after allowing two goals in 180 minutes.

Griggs, who hadn't scored a goal in her Griz career but was always on the cusp of a breakout performance, had Montana's 17th hat trick in program history on Sunday after missing the match at Cal Poly because of injury.

"Jaden is our most prolific goal-scorer in practice, so we always knew the talent level was there. She's just been missing the connection between practices and games," said fourth-year coach Chris Citowicki.

"For her to pull that off three times was really nice."

In a match on Sunday that was scoreless at the half, Griggs scored in the 51st minute, the 70th minute and 83rd minute to complete the natural hat trick.

She made it 1-0 when she took a cross from Taylor Hansen, spun and scored from six yards out, then added goal No. 2 when Ali Monroe's shot was saved but left in front of goal. Griggs, in the right place at the right time, was there for the easy tap-in.

The hat trick came when she was played a ball up the right side and scored from 12 yards out, a goal-scorers finish that required patience and skill. She made it look as easy and as natural as if it was her 23rd career goal, not just her third.

"It was all sorts of finishes, but nothing I haven't seen before in practice," said Citowicki. "It was nice to see it in a game from her. It's all part of her development as a player, doing it on the big stage."

After splitting time in goal with junior Elizabeth Todd against Creighton and Portland, Xu played every minute last week against the Mustangs and Yellowjackets.

Playing her first full collegiate game on Thursday at Cal Poly, Xu gave up a pair of goals on nine shots while making a pair of saves. On Sunday, she collected her first shutout.

Howard, through her first two complete games in goal in 2017, had one shutout to her credit as well. She would go on to collect a Big Sky-record 32 in her career.

"To be stepping into Claire's shoes, it was a good week for Cam," said Citowicki. "You've got to be able to organize like Claire did and you've got to distribute extremely well and make the saves when it matters.

"She's playing well and just growing in confidence every week."

Montana (1-3-0) will travel to Spokane this weekend to face Gonzaga (3-1-0) on Sunday at 2 p.m. (MT) at Luger Field. The Bulldogs host Hawaii on Thursday night.

University of Montana Athletics

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Players Mentioned

Jaden Griggs

Taylor Hansen

Claire Howard

Ali Monroe

Elizabeth Todd

Camellia Xu

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