Montana closes non-conference play vs. CSU Bakersfield

Coming off its best weekend in 16 seasons, the Montana volleyball team travels to Cheney, Washington, to face CSU Bakersfield in a neutral-site match (Saturday, 11 a.m. MT). The contest will be the Grizzlies' non-conference finale, before they turn their attention to Big Sky play, which begins Tuesday at home vs. Montana State (tickets can be purchased online).

Live stats will be provided for Saturday's match vs. CSU Bakersfield.

TOURNAMENT CHAMPS
Montana came home from Grand Forks, North Dakota, tournament champions after posting a perfect 3-0 record over the weekend. The Grizzlies earned wins over Green Bay (3-2), Drake (3-2) and North Dakota (3-0) to post their first outright tournament championship since 2005.

"It was pretty overwhelming, emotionally, just knowing that we hadn't had a tournament performance like that in a really long time," head coach Allison Lawrence said after the tournament. "Dating back to this spring, this team has been fighting so hard and has been trusting the process. Today, it paid us back in a big way."

Sophomore middle blocker Ellie Scherffius was named the UND Classic MVP while sophomore setter Carly Anderson and junior outside hitter Elise Jolly were named to the all-tournament team.

For head coach Allison Lawrence, the weekend was an overwhelming success, but the thing she liked most was that she saw her team do a little bit of everything.

"We had a good mix this past weekend – overcoming deficits, battling in tight matches, taking control of matches," Lawrence said. "With each set we play, and after this weekend, results like that are really just creating a lot of confidence within our team. We're a team that had a lot of new players just a month ago, so this process bonds us in a really good way."

Against Green Bay, Montana out-hit and out-blocked the Phoenix, and after alternating set wins, took control of a crucial fifth set, hitting .500 (11-1-20) and never trailing. The following day, vs. Drake, Montana looked as if it had no business being on the court against the Bulldogs, losing the first two sets by scores of 25-17, with the final score appearing closer than the sets actually were. Despite being down 0-2 and being out-hit .295 to .094, Montana rallied to out-hit the Bulldogs .372 to .158 over the final three sets, hitting .400 in the fourth and an astonishing .562 (9-0-16) in the fifth. Once again, Montana never trailed in the fifth set and used a 6-0 run midway through to run away with the set.

Playing against just 2 hours later, Montana showed no fatigue in a three-set sweep over host North Dakota – the Big Sky champions in 2017, the last year UND was in the league. Montana hit .353 in the first set and .389 in the second while posting its two most-lopsided set wins of the season (25-14, 25-15). Then, after trailing 21-15 in the third set, the Grizzlies used a 9-0 run to rally and eventually win the set and complete the sweep. It was just Montana's second-ever win over North Dakota, snapping a 15-match losing skid against the Fighting Hawks.

EARNING RECOGNITION
In addition to being named the UND Classic MVP, sophomore middle blocker Ellie Scherffius was named the Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Week on Monday. She averaged a team-best 2.92 kills per set while hitting an astonishing .500 for the weekend (38-6-64), and was in double figures for kills in all three matches, hitting .455 or better each time. She also added 12 blocks on the weekend (0.92 per set) to total 3.38 points per set.

In a five-set win over Green Bay, Scherffius recorded 15 kills on .520 hitting, in addition to a team-most six blocks. She was good through the match but best in the fifth set, when she accounted for nearly half (seven of 15) of Montana's points, including back-to-back kills to start the set and three kills and a block during a 5-0 run midway through. After falling behind 0-2 to Drake, Montana made a comeback, beginning with three kills and a block to close out Set 3. Scherffius finished with 13 kills on .455 hitting, plus five blocks, before adding 10 kills on .529 hitting later that evening vs. North Dakota.

SCOUTING CSU BAKERSFIELD
Saturday's match is part of a larger tournament hosted by Eastern Washington. Since the Grizzlies have already played Seattle (3-2 home win on Sept. 1) and are set to face Eastern Washington twice this fall, they will play just a single match this weekend.

CSUB enters the week with a 5-1 record, earning wins over Air Force and Utah State of the Mountain West. The Roadrunners' lone loss came at Saint Mary's.
CSUB opened the season with a 3-0 record at the Huskie Invitational, hosted by Northern Illinois. Seleisa Elisaia (MVP), Hayley McCluskey, and Brooke Boiseau were named to the all-tournament team. The trio is part of CSUB's nine upperclassmen.
McCluskey leads CSUB with 3.48 kills per set. She gets the majority of the balls, but is one of six players averaging at least 1.44 kills per set. McCluskey also leads CSUB with 11 aces.
McCluskey has been in double figures for kills in five of six matches, including 25 kills at a .296 clip – plus 11 digs, four aces and four blocks – in a win over Utah State.
Boiseau (0.92) and Elisaia (0.80) lead the Roadrunners' defense at the net, in addition to both being key parts of CSUB's offense. The two combined for 18 blocks in a win over Utah State last weekend.
CSUB averages 1.76 aces per set, which leads the Big West and ranks 70^th nationally. The 'Runners also rank third in the Big West for opponent hitting percentage (.195) and fourth for digs (14.44 per set) and hitting (.217).
CSUB has used the same starting lineup in every match this season.
CSUB did not compete during a spring season due to COVID-19.
Giovana Melo is in her eighth season in Bakersfield, leading the 'Runners to 2014 and 2017 NCAA tournament berths.

SERIES VS. THE ROADRUNNERS
Montana is 0-3 all-time vs. CSU Bakersfield. After a five-set loss in 1991, the two teams didn't play again until recently (four-set loss in Bakersfield in 2018; three-set home loss in 2019).

WINNING NON-CONFERENCE
Regardless of Saturday's result, Montana is guaranteed to finish its non-conference slate with at least a .500 record. That hasn't happened in Missoula since 2005, making this fall Montana's best non-conference season in 16 years.

The Grizzlies have picked up wins over Kennesaw State, Seattle, Green Bay, Drake and North Dakota so far. For comparison, Montana won three non-conference matches in 2018 and just one in 2019, before not having a preseason during its spring season.

Part of Montana's scheduling was by design, trying to find competition that would push and grow the Grizzlies, but also give them a chance to find success. Scheduling, however, can be a mixed bag with so many factors playing a role, and this year's slate has turned out to be stronger than Lawrence anticipated, making the success even more rewarding.

Consider that Kennesaw State, which Montana beat in late August, was picked to finish third in the ASUN preseason poll after posting 20-plus wins in each of the past three complete seasons. The Owls currently own a winning record, including a 3-0 sweep over Alabama of the SEC earlier this month. The Drake team that Montana beat last weekend was picked to finish second in the Missouri Valley Conference preseason poll, earning a handful of first-place votes.

Overall, of Montana's 10 non-conference opponents, six currently own a winning record.

ON TOP OF THE BIG SKY
Through three weeks of play, Montana leads the Big Sky Conference in hitting percentage, attacking at a .248 clip. The percentage is on pace to set a 30-year-old school record and currently ranks 62^nd in the NCAA (top 20 percent nationally).

While sophomore middle blocker Ellie Scherffius leads the Big Sky with a .421 percentage (also ranking 29^th in the entire country), it's easy to see why the Grizzlies are having success, as several players are hitting at a high clip. Peyten Boutwell (.280) and Catie Semadeni (.275) are also ranked in the Big Sky's top-10 list, as Montana is the only team with three players among the league's top-10 hitters.

MORE NUMBERS
In addition to Montana's hitting percentage, several other Grizzlies currently appear on the Big Sky's top-10 lists. Libero Sarina Moreno ranks third for digs (3.89 per set), setter Carly Anderson ranks fourth for assists (8.74 per set) – despite Montana running a 6-2 offense at times – and both Peyten Boutwell (0.95 per set, seventh) and Ellie Scherffius (0.92 per set, ninth) are among the leaders for blocking.

Boutwell and Scherffius are two of the league's three players to rank in the top 10 for both hitting and blocking. Additionally, a Big Sky player had recorded 15-plus kills in a match while hitting .500 or better three times this season, with Grizzlies accounting for all three instances (Scherffius twice, Boutwell once).

5^TH-SET DOMINANCE
Montana sure knows how to stress its fans out, taking five of its nine matches so far this season to a full five sets. When the Grizzlies get to a fifth set, though, they generally have a ton of success.

Montana is 4-1 in five-set matches this season, but the numbers go deeper than the overall record. Out of 126 total points played in the fifth set this season, Montana has trailed for just 14 of those points (11.1 percent). In all five matches, Montana has been the first team to eight and 12 points.

"In the highest-pressure situations, that's when you're seeing our team at its best," Lawrence said of her team's fifth-set success. "You're starting to see us really understand how to take control after we have a setback and our numbers in the fifth set are off the charts."

Over the weekend, the Grizzlies twice played in a fifth set, never trailing for a single point. Montana jumped out to a 4-0 lead over Green Bay on Friday and used a 5-0 run late to win the set 15-10. In a come-from-behind win over Drake, the Grizzlies again scored five of the first six points before using a 6-0 run moments later to extend the lead to 11-3.

Montana is playing its best volleyball late in tight matches. In fifth sets this season, Montana is out-hitting its opponents .456 (42-6-79) to .150 (40-25-100). In addition to making just six attack errors, the Grizzlies are siding out at a .685 rate.

DOWN TO THE WIRE
While five of Montana's nine matches this season have gone a full five sets, Montana is also playing deep into sets. Of the 38 sets Montana has played, 23 (60.5 percent) have been decided by five points or fewer (12-11 record). Fifteen have seen a margin of three points or fewer (8-7) and nine have been decided by the minimum two points (7-2). Additionally, five sets have gone past the traditional 25 points.

Gallery: (9-1-2021) VB: vs. Seattle (9.1.21)

INDIVIDUAL SUPERLATIVES

#1 Sarina Moreno – Ranks third in the Big Sky with 3.89 digs per set… Has recorded 15 or more digs in all but one match this season… Totaled 25 digs in a five-set win over Seattle (Sept. 1) and 19 in just three sets at North Dakota (Sept. 11), the most by a Big Sky athlete in a three-set match this season… Has a service ace in four matches, including three vs. Eastern Michigan (Aug. 28)… Moved into Montana's top-10 list for career digs (1,057) last weekend, and now needs 25 to jump to eighth place and 38 to reach seventh (she is on pace to finish her career ranked third).
#2 Paige Clark – Has seen time in eight of nine matches this season, earning two starts… Showing her versatility, she has been used as a server, attacker and setter in a 6-2 offense… Biggest moment came against California Baptist (Sept. 3), when she entered midway through the match as an attacker/setter… Finished with 10 kills on .368 hitting, in addition to 12 assists, five digs, one service ace and one block… Later that day, at South Dakota State (Sept. 3), she tallied 12 digs, seven assists and five kills… Saw time in all three matches of the CofC Invitational (Aug. 28-29), primarily as a serving specialist… Recorded her first career ace vs. Eastern Michigan (Aug. 28), with the serve coming on set point, which gave the Grizzlies a 25-23 win… Also spent Set 3 vs. the Eagles at setter, recording 15 assists and one kill while running the offense.
#3 Jackie Howell – Has played in every set this season, earning starts in eight matches… Is averaging 1.63 digs per set while posting a .928 reception percentage… Has been in double figures for digs three times, including a career-high 14 in a five-set win over Drake (Sept. 11)… Is averaging 0.50 kills per set, including six kills in back-to-back matches at the SDSU Invite (Sept. 3)… Has been one of Montana's top servers, serving during a 5-0 run vs. Seattle (Sept. 1), turning a 9-6 deficit into a Griz lead, and a 6-0 run in Set 5 vs. Drake (Sept. 10).
#4 Carly Anderson – Has helped facilitate a balanced offense that is hitting .248 (first in the Big Sky, top 20 percent nationally) and features three of the league's top-nine attackers… Ranks fourth in the Big Sky with 8.74 assists per set, despite Montana utilizing a 6-2 offense at times… Was named to the UND Classic all-tournament team after averaging 8.69 assists per set and running an offense that hit .278 for the weekend (Sept. 10-11)… In addition to her setting, she also added 2.07 digs per set, plus 11 kills (zero errors, .550 hitting) and two service aces in three victories… Tallied 52 assists in a win over Seattle (Sept. 1) and 50 in a season-opening victory over Kennesaw State (Aug. 28)… Is also averaging 1.92 digs per set (third on the team), recording her first double-double of the season at North Dakota (33 assists, 10 digs)… Has a service ace in five different matches.
#8 Elsa Godwin – Has started all nine matches at outside hitter, currently ranking fourth on the team with 1.87 kills per set… Is hitting at a .184 clip, after hitting .005 in the spring, and has already recorded more kills despite playing roughly half the number of matches… Leads the Griz with 12 service and is second for digs (2.29 per set) a team-high 2.63 kills per set and is hitting .246… Recorded a career-high 14 kills, plus 10 digs, vs. Eastern Michigan (Aug. 28), before surpassing that total vs. Seattle (Sept. 1)… In a five-set win over the Redhawks, she totaled 16 kills at a .375 clip, also adding nine digs and four blocks… After falling behind 2-1, Montana won the final two sets, with Godwin totaling five kills (.556 hitting) and three blocks… Totaled 11 kills and three service aces vs. College of Charleston (Aug. 29)… Had nine kills through two sets vs. the Cougars, including points on four consecutive plays during an 8-0 run in Set 2… Has been in double figures for digs four times this season, including all three matches of the UND Classic (Sept. 10-11)… Totaled 19 digs, nine kills and three aces vs. Green Bay (Sept. 10)… Added three more aces at North Dakota (Sept. 11), including two during a 9-0 run that flipped a 21-15 deficit into a 24-21 lead.
#10 Ellie Scherffius – Leads the Big Sky and ranks 29^th nationally with a .421 hitting percentage, which would shatter Montana's single-season record of .353… Ranks second on the Griz with 2.13 kills and 0.92 blocks per set, with her blocking numbers ranking ninth in the Big Sky… Was named Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 13) and UND Classic MVP (Sept. 11) after averaging 2.92 kills per set on .500 hitting, plus 0.92 blocks per set, in three victories… In a five-set win over Green Bay (Sept. 10), Scherffius had seven of Montana's 15 points in the fifth set, including four kills and a block during a 5-0 run… Finished the day with a career-high-tying 15 kills on .520 hitting, plus six blocks… Has been in double figures for kills five times and has hit .500 or above on four occasions… Has recorded five or more blocks five times… Named to the CofC Invitational all-tournament team (Aug. 29) after averaging 2.43 kills per set on .540 hitting, in addition to 1.00 blocks per set… Recorded 15 kills on .650 hitting (15-2-20) in a win over Kennesaw State (Aug. 28), in addition to a team-high-tying six blocks… Later that day, vs. Eastern Michigan, she recorded nine kills and zero errors at an .818 clip (9-0-11), again adding six blocks… Entered the season with four career kills and three blocks while seeing limited action as a true freshman during the spring season.
#12 Sarah Ashley – Has played in all nine matches this season, earning four starts at defensive specialist… Ranks second on Montana with nine service aces, recording at least one in six matches… Served up three aces vs. Eastern Michigan (Aug. 28)… Is averaging 1.64 digs per set… Has twice been in double figures for digs (10 vs. Kennesaw State and College of Charleston).
#14 Peyten Boutwell – Leads Montana with 2.21 kills and 0.95 blocks per set while hitting .280… Ranks in the top 10 in the Big Sky for both hitting percentage (sixth) and blocking (seventh)… Has been in double figures for kills four times and has reached five or more blocks on three occasions… Totaled 11 kills and four blocks in a come-from-behind win over Drake (Sept. 11)… Recorded 16 kills on .520 hitting vs. Seattle (Sept. 1), becoming the fourth Grizzly in the past 12 seasons to hit above .500 with at least 16 kills… Has recorded at least five blocks in three matches, including a season-high seven vs. Eastern Michigan (Aug. 28)… Totaled 12 kills on .391 hitting in Montana's season-opening win over Kennesaw State (Aug. 28).
#16 Catie Semadeni – Has had a strong start to her junior season, totaling 74 kills on .327 hitting (ninth in the Big Sky)… For comparison, she totaled 22 kills in 10 matches as a sophomore, hitting .011… Ranks third on the team for both kills (74, 1.95 per set) and blocking (28, 0.74 per set)… Has twice been in double figures for kills and has reached eight or more kills in seven matches… At the UND Classic (Sept. 10-11), averaged 1.92 kills per set at a .283 clip, while also adding a team-best 13 blocks (1.00 per set)… Stuffed a career-high eight balls vs. Drake (Sept. 11), to go along with eight kills on .353 hitting… In Montana's season-opening win over Kennesaw State, she totaled 10 kills on .308 hitting, in addition to six blocks… Later that day, vs. Eastern Michigan, she added 11 kills at a .346 clip… It marked the fourth and fifth times of her career she has been in double figures for kills, and the third and fourth times she has done so while hitting above .300 (first time since Nov. 21, 2019).
#17 Elise Jolly – Leads the Griz with 2.32 kills per set (65 kills overall), hitting at a .216 clip… Was named to the UND Classic all-tournament team after averaging 3.50 kills on .415 hitting across the final two matches of the weekend (Sept. 11)… Had a career-high 16 kills on .353 hitting in a five-set win over Drake, before 12 kills at a .526 clip that evening at North Dakota… Has been in double figures for kills five times… Tallied 10 kills and nine digs in her Montana debut vs. Kennesaw State (Aug. 28) and 10 more, plus a pair of blocks, vs. College of Charleston (Aug. 29)… In Montana's win over Kennesaw State, she recorded four of the Grizzlies' eight kills in Set 5, hitting .500 (4-1-6) in the set… Her 10^th and final kill came on match point, securing Montana's win.
#21 Kelsey Nestegard – Made her season debut vs. Seattle (Sept. 1), recording an ace and being praised by Allison Lawrence for her aggressive serving and coverage on defense.
#22 Maddie Kremer – After playing in 10 of Montana's first 25 sets to open the season, she found her form at the UND Classic (Sept. 10-11)… Despite not playing in the first two sets vs. Drake (Sept. 11), she finished the match with 10 kills at .315 hitting, including seven kills and an ace in Set 4 and being praised by Allison Lawrence for the team's turnaround… That night vs. North Dakota, making her first career start, she added eight more kills and a block… Recorded seven kills and two blocks vs. Eastern Michigan (Aug. 28)… She led Montana with four kills and a block in a Set-2 win over the Eagles.

LOOKING AHEAD
Montana returns home to host Montana State to open its Big Sky slate on Tuesday at 7 p.m. The match is being labeled as a Maroon Out, with fans encouraged to represent the Griz by wearing maroon. For the second consecutive season, the Main Line Trophy will be up for grabs.

While three of Montana's first four Big Sky matches are at home, it will be a challenging stretch as the Grizzlies will play three of the preseason top-four teams in the Big Sky.

Montana closes non-conference play vs. CSU Bakersfield

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Carly Anderson

Sarah Ashley

Peyten Boutwell

Paige Clark

Elsa Godwin

Jackie Howell

Elise Jolly

Maddie Kremer

Sarina Moreno

Kelsey Nestegard

Ellie Scherffius

Catie Semadeni

University of Montana Athletics

Montana closes non-conference play vs. CSU Bakersfield

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Carly Anderson

Sarah Ashley

Peyten Boutwell

Paige Clark

Elsa Godwin

Jackie Howell

Elise Jolly

Maddie Kremer

Sarina Moreno

Kelsey Nestegard

Ellie Scherffius

Catie Semadeni

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