Griz blank Vikings, advance to semifinals

Wednesday, November 2

Greeley, Colo.

11 AM

Montana

7-6-6

Portland State

5-8-5

Montana

Portland State

11/2/2022 3:13:00 PM | Soccer

Box Score

By: Montana Sports Information

The Montana soccer team advanced to the semifinals of the Big Sky Conference Championship with a 3-0 shutout of Portland State on Wednesday on the opening day of the tournament in Greeley, Colo.

The Grizzlies (7-6-6) scored twice in the first half, then added a third goal just 40 seconds into the second half to avenge a 1-0 loss to the Vikings (5-8-5) during the regular season.

Montana advances to face No. 2 seed Idaho at 11 a.m. on Friday, the sixth consecutive season the Grizzlies have been in the semifinals. The Vandals defeated the Grizzlies 1-0 in Missoula in September.

Montana improved to 7-1-0 in Big Sky tournament matches under fifth-year coach Chris Citowicki. Six of those seven wins have come by shutout.

But to assume that it was just Montana being Montana in November is to overlook what took place 10 days earlier in Ogden, Utah, where the Grizzlies closed the regular season with a 2-0 loss to the Wildcats.

It was the first time under Citowicki that Montana lost to a Big Sky opponent by multiple goals, and the Grizzlies needed help from Idaho just to sneak into the postseason as the No. 6 seed.

"We talked about a fire coming through and destroying everything, just burning everything to the ground, and that's what happened to us at Weber," said Citowicki. "Everything we had was gone.

"We had to start rebuilding. That's how our six days of work started. They got pushed in marathon sessions every single day trying to rebuild, and they put in so much work."

That extra effort was evident on Montana's opening goal, in the 29th minute.

Molly Quarry crossed a ball from the right wing that Riley O'Brien hustled toward goal and slid for. That froze the PSU goalkeeper, who had no chance when it continued across the box to Sydney Haustein.

The senior was there for the redirect, her first goal of the season, the sixth of her career.

Quarry and O'Brien both received assists on the play. Montana's second goal, in the 44th minute, was unassisted but it was still O'Brien who made it possible.

A long ball was played into the box and O'Brien occupied both PSU's goalkeeper and a defender. When the ball bounced over all of their heads, it was Molly Massman in the right place to make it 2-0.

"Once we went up 2-0, I knew this wasn't the same group we were before," said Citowicki.

"Their attitude and their competitiveness and drive and willingness to go forward and score but also defend for our lives, it was so refreshing to see. I'm just so proud of them for that."

Quarry's assist was her first of the season, the third of her career. O'Brien's assist was the first of her career. Massman's goal was the third of her career, all of which have come this season.

"Riley did exceptionally well, as did Molly. I thought she was spectacular," said Citowicki, whose team scored multiple first-half goals against a Division I opponent for the second time this season.

"We were just ruthless at times, which was the message at halftime. The one thing they have is competitiveness. If they outcompete you, they can find a way back into this game.

"We have to have the first shot on goal, we have to push them hard right off the bat. The mission was to score first in the second half, and we did that within 40 seconds, so that was nice."

The match's final goal, in the 46th minute, came off a free kick from Allie Larsen from 45 yards out. She placed it just over the back line, where Maysa Walters headed it in with an athletic finish.

It was Walters' second goal of the season and gave her 10 points on the season.

Montana blanked Portland State the rest of the way to give the Grizzlies their first shutout since Oct. 2.

The three goals were the most scored by Montana in a Big Sky tournament match since 2012. It was the Grizzlies' largest margin of victory in the postseason since 2000.

Up next will be the No. 2 Vandals (11-3-2), who led the Big Sky in wins during the regular season. Idaho has been shut out just three times in 2022 while posting 11 shutouts of its own.

When the teams met in Missoula on Sept. 30, Idaho won 1-0 on a penalty kick in the 88th minute.

"Idaho has played extremely well all year and been very consistent. They have double-digit wins, a goalkeeper who is spectacular, so we are going to be up against it playing them," said Citowicki.

"Hopefully we can do what we did today, which is play well and see what happens."