Montana to host Trinity Western in lone exhibition match
8/12/2022 7:23:00 PM | Soccer
The Montana soccer team will host Trinity Western on Monday at 3 p.m. at South Campus Stadium in Missoula in what will be the Grizzlies' lone exhibition match of the preseason.
The match is free to the public.
The Spartans, who are based in Langley, B.C., are one of the top collegiate teams in Canada.
They lost at Oregon State last week, then defeated Western Washington, a team that played in the round of 16 at last year's NCAA Division II national tournament, 2-1 on Thursday.
Trinity Western plays at Gonzaga on Saturday before continuing on to Missoula to face Montana on Monday afternoon.
"The piece I'm interested in is this will be our first game while they are seasoned and experienced, in my opinion," said fifth-year coach Chris Citowicki.
"That's their leg up on us. Their game intensity is already there. We'll see what that does to us, to play somebody a bit more experienced. We'll see what happens."
Trinity Western went 16-1-1 last season. The Spartans won the Canada West league title and fell to MacEwan in a shootout in the U SPORTS national championship match in November in Nova Scotia.
Fifth-year forward Anna Dunn, who had 11 goals and nine assists last season, is back, as is fourth-year goalkeeper Hannah Miller, who played every minute in goal last season.
Trinity Western is coached by Graham Roxburgh, who has led the Spartans to five U SPORTS national championships.
"Playing somebody else is going to be nice. It's hard playing yourself every single day. We'll be able to see somebody new in a true college setting," said Citowicki.
"Exhibitions allow you to get used to the game setting in a game that means nothing. Let's just get used to playing with each other against somebody who wants to win as badly as we do."
Montana will have a quick turnaround after playing on Monday. The Grizzlies will host the Rumble in the Rockies starting on Thursday, with Creighton, Pittsburgh and Gonzaga traveling to Missoula.
Montana will have two-match weeks right up to the start of its Big Sky Conference schedule, which opens on Friday, Sept. 23, at Sacramento State.
"I consider the nonconference an extension of these exhibition games," said Citowicki, whose team was picked second in the Big Sky preseason coaches' poll this week.
"Play them, learn from them, then put it all together when it matters. It's a work in progress. What I'm looking for is to see how much of the puzzle is there."
What's notable about Citowicki's teams, which have won five Big Sky titles in his four years as coach, is that the Grizzlies have won just two times in August in 13 matches.
No matter how the nonconference schedule has played out over the years, Montana has gotten better and better as the calendar has turned to October, then to November.
His teams have a four-year record of 6-1-0 in Big Sky tournament matches with a total of three goals allowed. Three times they have advanced to the NCAA tournament.
"Good lessons are everywhere. Boy, did we review film on every single one of those (early losses), then when it mattered, we were better," he said.
"You hope there are mistakes in these games. Get them out now so they don't happen later in the season. I can appreciate those nonconference losses just because we get so much out of them."
Montana will open the regular season with three straight matches at home, where the Grizzlies are 14-2-3 the last three seasons.
After hosting Creighton on Thursday at 4 p.m. and Pittsburgh on Sunday, Aug. 21, at 4 p.m. as part of the Rumble in the Rockies, the Grizzlies will remain home and face Wyoming on Thursday, Aug. 25.
Montana also will get nonconference home matches against MSU Billings, CSU Bakersfield, Fresno State and North Dakota State.
The match is free to the public.
The Spartans, who are based in Langley, B.C., are one of the top collegiate teams in Canada.
They lost at Oregon State last week, then defeated Western Washington, a team that played in the round of 16 at last year's NCAA Division II national tournament, 2-1 on Thursday.
Trinity Western plays at Gonzaga on Saturday before continuing on to Missoula to face Montana on Monday afternoon.
"The piece I'm interested in is this will be our first game while they are seasoned and experienced, in my opinion," said fifth-year coach Chris Citowicki.
"That's their leg up on us. Their game intensity is already there. We'll see what that does to us, to play somebody a bit more experienced. We'll see what happens."
Trinity Western went 16-1-1 last season. The Spartans won the Canada West league title and fell to MacEwan in a shootout in the U SPORTS national championship match in November in Nova Scotia.
Fifth-year forward Anna Dunn, who had 11 goals and nine assists last season, is back, as is fourth-year goalkeeper Hannah Miller, who played every minute in goal last season.
Trinity Western is coached by Graham Roxburgh, who has led the Spartans to five U SPORTS national championships.
"Playing somebody else is going to be nice. It's hard playing yourself every single day. We'll be able to see somebody new in a true college setting," said Citowicki.
"Exhibitions allow you to get used to the game setting in a game that means nothing. Let's just get used to playing with each other against somebody who wants to win as badly as we do."
Montana will have a quick turnaround after playing on Monday. The Grizzlies will host the Rumble in the Rockies starting on Thursday, with Creighton, Pittsburgh and Gonzaga traveling to Missoula.
Montana will have two-match weeks right up to the start of its Big Sky Conference schedule, which opens on Friday, Sept. 23, at Sacramento State.
"I consider the nonconference an extension of these exhibition games," said Citowicki, whose team was picked second in the Big Sky preseason coaches' poll this week.
"Play them, learn from them, then put it all together when it matters. It's a work in progress. What I'm looking for is to see how much of the puzzle is there."
What's notable about Citowicki's teams, which have won five Big Sky titles in his four years as coach, is that the Grizzlies have won just two times in August in 13 matches.
No matter how the nonconference schedule has played out over the years, Montana has gotten better and better as the calendar has turned to October, then to November.
His teams have a four-year record of 6-1-0 in Big Sky tournament matches with a total of three goals allowed. Three times they have advanced to the NCAA tournament.
"Good lessons are everywhere. Boy, did we review film on every single one of those (early losses), then when it mattered, we were better," he said.
"You hope there are mistakes in these games. Get them out now so they don't happen later in the season. I can appreciate those nonconference losses just because we get so much out of them."
Montana will open the regular season with three straight matches at home, where the Grizzlies are 14-2-3 the last three seasons.
After hosting Creighton on Thursday at 4 p.m. and Pittsburgh on Sunday, Aug. 21, at 4 p.m. as part of the Rumble in the Rockies, the Grizzlies will remain home and face Wyoming on Thursday, Aug. 25.
Montana also will get nonconference home matches against MSU Billings, CSU Bakersfield, Fresno State and North Dakota State.
Friday, June 19
Thursday, June 04
Friday, May 01
Friday, May 01
