Montana opens Big Sky play Tuesday vs. rival Montana State

Montana vs. Montana State
Tuesday, Sept. 21 at 7 p.m.
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Montana and Montana State will renew the Brawl of the Wild rivalry on Tuesday evening when the Bobcats visit Missoula to open up Big Sky Conference play.

The Grizzlies are coming off their best non-conference season in 16 years and will look to carry that momentum into their Big Sky opener.

The challenge won't be easy, as Montana State was picked to finish No. 4 in the Big Sky preseason poll, and while MSU enters the match with a 4-7 record, the Cats have had plenty of success during the preseason as well. MSU is the only team this season to beat Boise State (11-1, now winning nine matches in a row, including beating No. 10 Utah last week). Additionally, four of MSU's losses have come in five sets, including a five-set defeat last week at No. 7 Washington, a match in which MSU led 2-1 and 11-7 in Set 5.

Montana, though, will have home-court advantage on its side, welcoming Griz Nation back to Dahlberg Arena. The Griz and Cats played twice in February, but did so in front of no spectators. In 2019, more than 900 fans cheered on the Grizzlies, and a year prior, more than 1,300 fans witness the Griz beat Montana State in five sets.

The match will be fans' first chance to witness the Main Line Trophy, as well. The traveling trophy was introduced in the spring and is now the traveling trophy awarded to the victor of the Brawl of the Wild. The two teams, separated by just 200 miles, have played each other at least twice every season for the past 46 years. Entering Tuesday, Montana State holds a slight 60-57 advantage in the series, with the Grizzlies holding a 29-24 edge in Missoula.

Fans can purchase tickets ahead of time online. Student tickets are available for free as are free maroon T-shirts with a valid Griz Card. All fans are encouraged to wear maroon to support Montana. Those unable to make the match in person can watch with an ESPN+ subscription, with Riley Corcoran and Nate Michael on the call.

SERIES VS. THE BOBCATS

The two teams have played each other 117 times overall, and at least twice every season since 1975.
Montana State holds a slight 60-57 lead in the series, with the two sides splitting the season series in both 2018 and 2019.
The Grizzlies hold a 29-24 edge in Missoula but have lost three in a row.
The Missoula edition of the Brawl of the Wild has gone to five sets in three of the past five instances (2017 MSU win, 2018 UM win, Spring 2021 MSU win).
Since Allison Lawrence joined the Griz coaching staff in 2010, Montana is 12-10 against Montana State.
Playing in the same venue on back-to-back days, Montana State was victorious in both meetings during the Spring 2021 season. On Feb. 14, the Griz and Cats went a full five sets, with Montana holding two match-point opportunities before eventually falling in the fifth set, 17-15. The Cats swept the Grizzlies the following night.
In October 2019, Montana earned a four-set road win over the Cats, the Grizzlies' first win in Bozeman since 2014. After winning the first set 25-21, Montana State handled the Griz in the second frame, 25-10. However, the Grizzlies regrouped to win the next two sets (25-20, 25-18).
In one of Montana's most exciting matches in recent memory, the Grizzlies earned a thrilling victory over Montana State in September 2018. The Grizzlies trailed the match 2-1, and faced match point in Set 4, before rallying to win the fourth frame, 27-25, and the fifth, 15-11. The two teams were tied at 8-8 in the final set before Montana scored seven of the final 10 points. The match was played in front of more than 1,300 fans – the 10th largest crowd in school history.
A large number of Montana State's wins in the series came before Montana got its first. From 1975-80, the two teams played 24 times, with the Bobcats winning each time. Since Montana got its first win in 1981, Montana holds a 57-36 advantage.
The series was one-sided from 1988-95, with the Grizzlies winning 17 consecutive matches over Montana State.
From 2006-12, Montana won 12 of 13 in the series. Prior to that, from 2001-06, Montana State won nine of 10.

CURRENT GRIZ VS. THE CATS

Nine of Montana's current players have never played Montana State before.
Libero Sarina Moreno has played in seven career matches vs. MSU, recording 21 digs and two service aces in the Grizzlies' 2018 home win over the Cats.
Playing in her first Griz-Cat rivalry, middle blocker Peyten Boutwell recorded a career-high 18 kills on .239 hitting in Montana's five-set loss to the Cats in the spring, also adding four blocks. She had a block to close out Set 4 and a kill to put Montana up 15-14 in the fifth set.
Outside hitter Elsa Godwin has started all four matches she has played against MSU. In Montana's five-set loss in the spring, she had a double-double with 10 kills and 11 digs. In the Grizzlies' 2019 road win, she had three service aces and five kills, the last coming on match point.
In two matches vs. MSU in the spring, setter Carly Anderson averaged 8.50 assists per set, in addition to 14 digs, five kills, four service aces and four blocks.
Filling in at libero for injured Sarina Moreno, defensive specialist Sarah Ashley had the best performances of her young career last spring. Ashley recorded at least 11 digs in both matches vs. the Cats while serving up six aces (five during UM's five-set defeat).

WINNING NON-CONFERENCE
Montana went 5-5 during non-conference play, giving the Grizzlies' their best non-conference record in 16 years, dating back to 2005.

The Grizzlies picked up wins over Kennesaw State, Seattle, Green Bay, Drake and North Dakota. For comparison, Montana won three non-conference matches in 2018 and just one in 2019, before not having a preseason during its 2021 spring season.

Overall, six of Montana's 10 non-conference opponents posted winning non-conference records.

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 was picked to finish second in the Missouri Valley Conference preseason poll, earning a handful of first-place votes.

We're bringing some momentum into conference play!#GrizVB #BigSkyVB #GoGriz pic.twitter.com/w35k1Bi7yA
— Montana Griz Volleyball (@MontanaGrizVB) September 20, 2021

ON TOP OF THE BIG SKY
Entering the fifth week of the season and start of Big Sky Conference play, Montana leads the Big Sky in hitting percentage, attacking at a .239 clip. The percentage is on pace to set a 30-year-old school record and currently ranks 85^th in the NCAA (top 25 percent nationally).

While sophomore middle blocker Ellie Scherffius leads the Big Sky with a .415 percentage (also ranking 28^th in the entire country), it's easy to see why the Grizzlies are having team success, as several players are hitting at a high clip. Catie Semadeni (.282, ninth) and Peyten Boutwell (.260, 11^th) are also among the most-efficient attackers in the Big Sky.

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).

MORE NUMBERS
In addition to Ellie Scherffius' league-leading .415 hitting percentage, several other Grizzlies currently appear in the Big Sky's top-10 rankings.

Libero Sarina Moreno ranks third for digs (3.95 per set), setter Carly Anderson ranks fourth for assists (8.66 per set) – despite Montana running a 6-2 offense at times – Scherffius ranks eighth for blocking (0.98 per set) and opposite hitter Catie Semadeni ranks ninth for hitting percentage (.282). Additionally, senior middle blocker Peyten Boutwell ranks in the top 15 for both hitting percentage and blocking.

TOURNAMENT CHAMPS
Montana came home from Grand Forks, North Dakota, tournament champions after posting a perfect 3-0 record earlier this month. 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 Sept. 13. 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.

5^TH-SET DOMINANCE
Montana sure knows how to stress its fans out, taking five of its 10 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."

At the UND Classic (Sept. 10-11), 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 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 10 matches this season have gone a full five sets, Montana is also playing deep into sets. Of the 41 sets Montana has played, 25 (61 percent) have been decided by five points or fewer (12-13 record). Sixteen have seen a margin of three points or fewer (8-8) and 10 have been decided by the minimum two points (7-3). Additionally, six sets have gone past the traditional 25 points.

𝗧𝗢𝗠𝗢𝗥𝗥𝗢𝗪 𝗡𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧! Brawl of the Wild volleyball is in Missoula!

⏰ Game at 7 PM
📍 Dahlberg Arena
👕 Wear Maroon#GoGriz pic.twitter.com/dewZ2yJ1gr
— Montana Grizzlies (@UMGRIZZLIES) September 20, 2021

INDIVIDUAL SUPERLATIVES

#1 Sarina Moreno – Ranks third in the Big Sky with 3.95 digs per set… Has recorded 14 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 (1,071) earlier this month, and now needs 11 to jump to eighth place and 24 to reach seventh (she is on pace to finish her career ranked third).
#2 Paige Clark – Has seen time in eight of 10 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 1.54 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 0.49 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 multiple lengthy runs, including 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 .239 (first in the Big Sky, top 25 percent nationally) and features three of the league's top-11 attackers… Ranks fourth in the Big Sky with 8.66 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 1.93 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 10 matches at outside hitter, currently ranking fourth on the team with 1.80 kills per set… Is hitting at a .175 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 14 service and is second for digs (2.24 per set)… Has eight aces in her past four matches… Has been in double figures for digs four times this season, including three times in the past four matches… 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… 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 28^th nationally with a .415 hitting percentage, which would shatter Montana's single-season record of .353… Leads the Griz for hitting, kills (91, 2.22 per set) and blocking (0.95 per set), with her blocking numbers ranking eighth 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 six times (four matches in a row) 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 10 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 1.51 digs per set… Has twice been in double figures for digs (10 vs. Kennesaw State and College of Charleston).
#14 Peyten Boutwell – Ranks second on the Griz for kills (87, 2.12 per set) and blocking (37.0, 0.90 per set)… Ranks 11^th in the Big Sky for blocking and hitting percentage (.260)… 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 84 kills (third on the team) on .282 hitting (second on the team, ninth in the Big Sky)… For comparison, she totaled 22 kills in 10 matches as a sophomore, hitting .011… Also ranks third on the team for blocking (0.76 per set)… Has three times been in double figures for kills and has reached eight or more kills in eight matches (including four in a row)… Was named to EWU's all-tournament team after recording 10 kills on .350 hitting, plus three blocks, in Montana's only match, vs. CSU Bakersfield (Sept. 18)… 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 2.30 kills per set (69 kills overall), hitting at a .193 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 – Has played in two matches, being used as a server… 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
Following Tuesday's home match vs. Montana State, the Grizzlies will travel to Northern Colorado to face the Bears on Thursday (6 p.m. MT, ESPN+).

Northern Colorado enters Big Sky play 8-3 on the year and one of the league's most-impressive teams. The Bears own wins over Colorado State, San Jose State and Wyoming of the Mountain West, and Northwestern of the Big Ten. They also swept Denver, handing the Pioneers – who own wins over USC and Iowa – their only loss of the season so far.

Northern Colorado was picked to finish No. 2 in the Big Sky Conference preseason poll. The following week, the Grizzlies will return to Missoula to host Idaho State and Weber State (defending champions, preseason favorites), meaning Montana will face three of the top-four Big Sky teams in the first 12 days of league action.

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

Montana opens Big Sky play Tuesday vs. rival Montana State

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Players Mentioned

Carly Anderson

Sarah Ashley

Peyten Boutwell

Elsa Godwin

Sarina Moreno

Ellie Scherffius

Catie Semadeni

University of Montana Athletics

Montana opens Big Sky play Tuesday vs. rival Montana State

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Players Mentioned

Carly Anderson

Sarah Ashley

Peyten Boutwell

Elsa Godwin

Sarina Moreno

Ellie Scherffius

Catie Semadeni

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