Thursday, November 3
Missoula, Mont.
7 PM
Montana
15-9, 8-4Big Sky
3
vs
1
Portland State
14-9, 9-3Big Sky
1
2
3
4
F
Portland State
24
24
25
21
1
Montana
26
26
15
25
3
Photo by: © Derek Johnson
Griz down league leaders
11/3/2022 11:13:00 PM | Volleyball
The 2022 Montana volleyball team has already reached heights not seen in the program for decades. On Thursday night against first-place Portland State, the Grizzlies climbed a little higher.
Montana closed out the opening two sets in the tightest fashion possible, then delivered a huge performance in the fourth set to knock off the league leaders. The fourth straight win for Montana gets them within a game of first place in the Big Sky Conference.
The win also served as a measuring stick for a Montana team that has felt they can play among the best in the conference but hadn't delivered with a result yet. They had the distinction of being undefeated against every team below them in the conference standings this year, but had fallen in all four matches against the top tier in the Big Sky. Thursday night was a message that this team isn't settling for middle of the pack, and they aren't afraid of anybody.
"There aren't really words to describe how big of a win that is and how proud of the team I am of how they approached that match," Head coach Allison Lawrence said. "I think we've just been a group this whole year that has grown so much each weekend and from match to match, and their growth in terms of just how they mentally prepare for matches, their mindset going into matches, is really strong. They are getting rewarded for that, so that cycle is paying us back."
The Grizzlies (15-9, 8-4 BSC) already have their most wins since 2013 and are closing in on the mark of 16 held by that squad. Prior to that, they hadn't won more than 16 games since the 1999 season that saw them finish 18-9. Regardless of how the rest of this season ends, Montana will finish with its best winning percentage since that team of the late 90s.
Gallery: (11-3-2022) VB: vs. Portland State (11.3.22)
Lawrence and her team have been building this over the past few years. It started with an 11 win season in 2021. They have built off that, and the reward is there for players like Sarina Moreno. The 5th year libero had 16 digs and is closing in on Montana's all-time record in that category. But for her, the thrill of winning as a team and the excitement of matches like Thursday's are worth more than the individual accolades.
"It's super exciting. I think a lot of our hard work from past years is really showing up here this year and it's really paying off," Moreno said. "It's fun to see and has been fun to play this well."
The Grizzlies started hot in the match, taking the first three points. Portland State didn't go away and eventually took its first lead at 10-9. It looked like the best attack in the league might get hot and overpower the Montana defense as they stretched the lead to three at 19-16, then again at 21-18.
First sets have been the biggest weakness for Montana this year, as it's the only set they have a losing record in. They lost the opener in both road matches last weekend. But they wouldn't go away. A kill from Ellie Scherffius, followed by a Grizzly block and Viking error tied the set at 21-all.
Portland State again extended the lead, this time getting to set point with a 24-22 advantage. The Grizzlies took a timeout, adjusted, and then came out aggressively. Catie Semadeni registered back-to-back kills, Elise Jolly added one to give the Griz the lead, and Jackie Howell finished it off. The Griz held off multiple set points and took the opener 26-24.
A fairly even set that went back and forth tilted in favor of the host Grizzlies in the end, and sent a bit of a shock to the Vikings. Portland State had entered 9-0 against Big Sky opponents outside of Northern Colorado and had dropped just six total sets in nine matches. They outhit Montana, but a scrappy Grizzly team did just enough in the end for the set win.
The Vikings had some early leads in the second set, but a 3-0 Grizzly run gave them their first lead at 9-8. The Griz then went ahead 12-9 and seemed to have things rolling, but the Vikings responded with three straight to tie it up again. Runs were traded back and forth down the stretch, but again it was Portland State getting to 24 points first. This time the Grizzlies were just a point behind, but still had to fend off set point.
They did so, one again turning to Semadeni to pull through in the clutch. She tied it at 24, then Scherffius gave Montana the lead with a big swing up the middle. Portland State committed an error, and suddenly the Griz had a 2-0 lead after coming back from the brink in consecutive sets.
"I loved at the ends of sets that we were playmakers down the stretch. I think in moments in the past when we've come up short against teams ahead of us we've been high error after 20 and we've talked about mental mistakes when pressure is on, but this just felt like we were making huge plays," Lawrence said. "We wanted to be playmakers and we were."
Portland State showed its skill level in the third, jumping out to a quick start and leading 15-5 early. Montana managed a couple of runs to get back within five points, but the Vikings would see the third out in convincing fashion after outhitting the Griz .364-to-.000.
The fourth could have scared the Griz off or backed them down. Instead, Montana responded with aggression. They jumped out to a 3-1 lead, then rattled off a couple of 3-0 runs to extend it to 9-5. Scherffius caught fire, swinging hard and scoring three out of four points for Montana to give them a 15-9 lead at the media timeout. The Griz were hitting over .600 at the time.
Portland State showed no quit, reeling off four consecutive points to cut the Grizzly lead to 18-14. Another mini run brought it back to 23-21 and again put the pressure and the spotlight on Montana. Scherffius ripped her fourth kill of the set, then Paige Clark blasted a serve that the Vikings couldn't handle to seal it.
"The way (Scherffius) finished that match was just crazy. She was just pounding the ball, and getting so high," Lawrence said. "We just got more aggressive as that match went on and even down the stretch when we were ahead by a ways and they started closing the gap we could have gotten afraid and tentative and all the things, and we steadied out and finished on an ace. You're ripping a serve and you're going for it and that's what we want to be doing."
The lead changed hands just twice in the final set, and was tied only three times as Montana dominated as the match wore on.
It's the biggest win of the season – and arguably the past decade - for Montana. It snapped a five-match losing streak to Portland State. The complete performance from the Grizzlies had the Vikings on their back heels for much of the night, including in serve-reception. Montana finished with eight aces. They have at least eight in the last four matches, which have all been wins.
Sarah Ashley played a crucial part in that, dropping in a season-high four aces.
Clark led the Grizzlies again with 19 kills on 50 attempts. She increased her Big Sky leading kill number by averaging nearly five per set. Scherffius had 11 kills while hitting .409, delivering another hyper-efficient performance. Elise Jolly also played big out of the middle blocker position with 10 kills on .368 hitting.
The Grizzlies, who managed just 23 total kills when the two sides met in Portland earlier this year, had 54 kills as a team. Carly Anderson had another good night guiding the offense, assisting Montana's attackers on 46 kills. She also had seven digs as part of a ground defense that kept Montana in it.
Moreno had 16 kills to inch closer to Montana's all-time record, and Lexi Batezel stepped up with just her third double-digit dig match of the season. Gone was the Montana team that was swept at home twice last month. Lawrence said the team focused on having a better mentality down the stretch. It was evident on Thursday, when the best team on the floor wasn't the one that entered on top of the standings. Instead, it was the one in maroon and white.
"We knew we had to play hyper-aggressive, we knew we had to be terminal offensively. I felt it in how we moved and how we looked at each other and everything we did that we were playing in the gear that we had to be in," Lawrence said. "We just remained the aggressors and remained confident."
The Grizzlies now sit just a game out of first place with four matches remaining on the schedule. They have another big match coming on Saturday at noon when Sacramento State come to town. The Hornets sit a game behind Montana after losing on Thursday night.
Montana closed out the opening two sets in the tightest fashion possible, then delivered a huge performance in the fourth set to knock off the league leaders. The fourth straight win for Montana gets them within a game of first place in the Big Sky Conference.
The win also served as a measuring stick for a Montana team that has felt they can play among the best in the conference but hadn't delivered with a result yet. They had the distinction of being undefeated against every team below them in the conference standings this year, but had fallen in all four matches against the top tier in the Big Sky. Thursday night was a message that this team isn't settling for middle of the pack, and they aren't afraid of anybody.
"There aren't really words to describe how big of a win that is and how proud of the team I am of how they approached that match," Head coach Allison Lawrence said. "I think we've just been a group this whole year that has grown so much each weekend and from match to match, and their growth in terms of just how they mentally prepare for matches, their mindset going into matches, is really strong. They are getting rewarded for that, so that cycle is paying us back."
The Grizzlies (15-9, 8-4 BSC) already have their most wins since 2013 and are closing in on the mark of 16 held by that squad. Prior to that, they hadn't won more than 16 games since the 1999 season that saw them finish 18-9. Regardless of how the rest of this season ends, Montana will finish with its best winning percentage since that team of the late 90s.
Lawrence and her team have been building this over the past few years. It started with an 11 win season in 2021. They have built off that, and the reward is there for players like Sarina Moreno. The 5th year libero had 16 digs and is closing in on Montana's all-time record in that category. But for her, the thrill of winning as a team and the excitement of matches like Thursday's are worth more than the individual accolades.
"It's super exciting. I think a lot of our hard work from past years is really showing up here this year and it's really paying off," Moreno said. "It's fun to see and has been fun to play this well."
The Grizzlies started hot in the match, taking the first three points. Portland State didn't go away and eventually took its first lead at 10-9. It looked like the best attack in the league might get hot and overpower the Montana defense as they stretched the lead to three at 19-16, then again at 21-18.
First sets have been the biggest weakness for Montana this year, as it's the only set they have a losing record in. They lost the opener in both road matches last weekend. But they wouldn't go away. A kill from Ellie Scherffius, followed by a Grizzly block and Viking error tied the set at 21-all.
Portland State again extended the lead, this time getting to set point with a 24-22 advantage. The Grizzlies took a timeout, adjusted, and then came out aggressively. Catie Semadeni registered back-to-back kills, Elise Jolly added one to give the Griz the lead, and Jackie Howell finished it off. The Griz held off multiple set points and took the opener 26-24.
Back to back kills for Semadeni close the gap!!#MontanaVB pic.twitter.com/u49yYkCPXi
— Montana Griz Volleyball (@MontanaGrizVB) November 4, 2022
A fairly even set that went back and forth tilted in favor of the host Grizzlies in the end, and sent a bit of a shock to the Vikings. Portland State had entered 9-0 against Big Sky opponents outside of Northern Colorado and had dropped just six total sets in nine matches. They outhit Montana, but a scrappy Grizzly team did just enough in the end for the set win.
The Vikings had some early leads in the second set, but a 3-0 Grizzly run gave them their first lead at 9-8. The Griz then went ahead 12-9 and seemed to have things rolling, but the Vikings responded with three straight to tie it up again. Runs were traded back and forth down the stretch, but again it was Portland State getting to 24 points first. This time the Grizzlies were just a point behind, but still had to fend off set point.
They did so, one again turning to Semadeni to pull through in the clutch. She tied it at 24, then Scherffius gave Montana the lead with a big swing up the middle. Portland State committed an error, and suddenly the Griz had a 2-0 lead after coming back from the brink in consecutive sets.
"I loved at the ends of sets that we were playmakers down the stretch. I think in moments in the past when we've come up short against teams ahead of us we've been high error after 20 and we've talked about mental mistakes when pressure is on, but this just felt like we were making huge plays," Lawrence said. "We wanted to be playmakers and we were."
Portland State showed its skill level in the third, jumping out to a quick start and leading 15-5 early. Montana managed a couple of runs to get back within five points, but the Vikings would see the third out in convincing fashion after outhitting the Griz .364-to-.000.
Sarah Ashley gets another Ace!!#MontanaVB pic.twitter.com/JmJKqHkKK6
— Montana Griz Volleyball (@MontanaGrizVB) November 4, 2022
The fourth could have scared the Griz off or backed them down. Instead, Montana responded with aggression. They jumped out to a 3-1 lead, then rattled off a couple of 3-0 runs to extend it to 9-5. Scherffius caught fire, swinging hard and scoring three out of four points for Montana to give them a 15-9 lead at the media timeout. The Griz were hitting over .600 at the time.
Portland State showed no quit, reeling off four consecutive points to cut the Grizzly lead to 18-14. Another mini run brought it back to 23-21 and again put the pressure and the spotlight on Montana. Scherffius ripped her fourth kill of the set, then Paige Clark blasted a serve that the Vikings couldn't handle to seal it.
"The way (Scherffius) finished that match was just crazy. She was just pounding the ball, and getting so high," Lawrence said. "We just got more aggressive as that match went on and even down the stretch when we were ahead by a ways and they started closing the gap we could have gotten afraid and tentative and all the things, and we steadied out and finished on an ace. You're ripping a serve and you're going for it and that's what we want to be doing."
BIG WIN tonight for Griz volleyball!! 🐻 🏐 Paige Clark ending it with an ace!!#MontanaVB pic.twitter.com/nqhRFpi0Ke
— Montana Griz Volleyball (@MontanaGrizVB) November 4, 2022
The lead changed hands just twice in the final set, and was tied only three times as Montana dominated as the match wore on.
It's the biggest win of the season – and arguably the past decade - for Montana. It snapped a five-match losing streak to Portland State. The complete performance from the Grizzlies had the Vikings on their back heels for much of the night, including in serve-reception. Montana finished with eight aces. They have at least eight in the last four matches, which have all been wins.
Sarah Ashley played a crucial part in that, dropping in a season-high four aces.
Clark led the Grizzlies again with 19 kills on 50 attempts. She increased her Big Sky leading kill number by averaging nearly five per set. Scherffius had 11 kills while hitting .409, delivering another hyper-efficient performance. Elise Jolly also played big out of the middle blocker position with 10 kills on .368 hitting.
The Grizzlies, who managed just 23 total kills when the two sides met in Portland earlier this year, had 54 kills as a team. Carly Anderson had another good night guiding the offense, assisting Montana's attackers on 46 kills. She also had seven digs as part of a ground defense that kept Montana in it.
Moreno had 16 kills to inch closer to Montana's all-time record, and Lexi Batezel stepped up with just her third double-digit dig match of the season. Gone was the Montana team that was swept at home twice last month. Lawrence said the team focused on having a better mentality down the stretch. It was evident on Thursday, when the best team on the floor wasn't the one that entered on top of the standings. Instead, it was the one in maroon and white.
"We knew we had to play hyper-aggressive, we knew we had to be terminal offensively. I felt it in how we moved and how we looked at each other and everything we did that we were playing in the gear that we had to be in," Lawrence said. "We just remained the aggressors and remained confident."
The Grizzlies now sit just a game out of first place with four matches remaining on the schedule. They have another big match coming on Saturday at noon when Sacramento State come to town. The Hornets sit a game behind Montana after losing on Thursday night.
Team Stats
PSU
MON
Kills
59
54
Errors
20
23
Attempts
149
154
Hitting %
.262
.201
Points
71.0
67.0
Assists
54
47
Aces
5
8
Blocks
7.0
5.0
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
19
Aces
1
Blocks
2
Kills
11
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
10
Aces
2
Blocks
2
Kills
5
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Griz Volleyball Weekly Press Conference - 9/15/25
Saturday, September 20
Griz Volleyball Press Conference - 9/15
Monday, September 15
Griz Volleyball Weekly Press Conference - 9/8/25
Tuesday, September 09
Griz Volleyball Press Conference - 9/8/25
Tuesday, September 09
