Griz step up, win Big Sky opener

Friday, September 23

Sacramento, Calif.

4:30 PM (MT)

Montana

4-2-5, 1-0-0BSC

Sacramento State

0-7-3, 0-1-0BSC

Montana

Sacramento State

Photos: Sacramento State Athletics

9/23/2022 8:20:00 PM | Soccer

Box Score

By: Montana Sports Information

The Montana soccer team opened its Big Sky Conference schedule with a 2-1 victory over Sacramento State on Friday evening at Hornet Field in Sacramento, Calif.

The Grizzlies (4-2-5, 1-0-0 BSC) extended their unbeaten streak to seven matches and had to rally to do so after falling behind 1-0 on a Sacramento State penalty kick in the 37th minute.

Bella O'Brien scored in the final minute of the first half, Skyleigh Thompson added the game-winner in the 62nd as the Grizzlies ran their winning streak over the Hornets (0-7-3, 0-1-0 BSC) to five, their unbeaten streak against Sacramento State to 11.

"It was a classic conference game," said fifth-year coach Chris Citowicki, who improved to 30-5-8 against Big Sky opponents with the win. "What do you expect?

"At the end of the day, find a way to win. That's exactly what they did. Proud of them for that."

It was Sacramento State's penalty kick that finally shook Montana out of its early funk. It came after goalkeeper Camellia Xu played a ball too aggressively, and Aubrey Goodwill scored inside the left post to put the Hornets up.

When Citowicki asked the official about the call, he might as well have patted him on the back. The Grizzlies were a different team after falling behind.

"Sluggish start. It was just nervous and uptight. Really took us a while to get playing, and they obviously picked up confidence from our slow start," said Citowicki.

It was only Sacramento State's seventh goal of the season in its 10th match. Four of those have come via penalty kick.

"I talked to the official about what the call was. I told him, whatever you did, I'm glad you did because we needed that kick in the butt. It woke us up," said Citowicki.

The equalizer, in the final minute of the first half, started with a pass from Maysa Walters up the left side to freshman Maddie Ditta, who bodied a defender off the ball thrice before finding space for a cross.

The ball emerged from a group of three players and found O'Brien, who left-footed it off the bounce from 15 yards out, just under the crossbar.

O'Brien had played just 38 minutes in two matches this season prior to Friday. She subbed on in the 39th minute, scored in the 45th.

"Conference games are when heroes are made. Someone is going to play a ball, someone is going to get on the end of it and we're going to do something amazing," said Citowicki, who knows what he's talking about.

Of his 30 wins against Big Sky opponents over the years, 23 have come by a single goal.

"These are games when somebody does something incredible," he said. "Bella stepped in today after not playing for a couple games and still had the composure to score with her left foot. Then Skye did what Skye does."

If O'Brien was set up by a nice ball by Ditta, Thompson can thank Sydney Haustein, who outside-footed a pass through two defenders to Thompson, who had her defender on her back in the center of the field, 35 yards out from goal.

She spun to her left and used her speed to create just enough separation that she was able to go and go and go until she cut in and pounded in her second goal of the season underneath a collapsing Sac State goalkeeper.

"We still didn't find enough rhythm in the second half, but we have the individual quality that if we just create a couple moments, there is a good chance we'll score, and Skye did," said Citowicki.

"We talked about it in the locker room. It's a game of moments. A beautiful goal by Bella because of the work by Maddie Ditta and Skye putting that away is what we all know Skye can do."

Montana outshot its opponent for the ninth time in 11 matches, Xu made a pair of saves to pick up career win No. 17.

The Grizzlies will conclude their two-game road trip with a match at Portland State (1-5-3, 0-0-0 BSC) at 2 p.m. (MT) on Sunday. The Vikings open their Big Sky schedule at Northern Colorado on Friday night.