Griz win, clinch, eye ninth championship

Sunday, October 15

Greeley, Colo.

Noon

Montana

11-2-3, 5-0-1BSC

Northern Colorado

0-12-4, 0-3-3BSC

Montana

Northern Colorado

Photo by: UM Photo/Tommy Martino

10/15/2023 7:20:00 PM | Soccer

Box Score

By: Montana Sports Information

The Montana soccer team moved one step closer to its ninth Big Sky Conference championship with a 3-0 road win at Northern Colorado on Sunday afternoon in Greeley.

The win completed a road-trip sweep for the Grizzlies, who won at Northern Arizona on Thursday over the defending Big Sky champions and then added another victory on Sunday to extend their unbeaten streak to eight matches.

With their win over the Bears, their first over Northern Colorado in Greeley since 2009, the Grizzlies locked up a spot to next month's six-team Big Sky tournament, Montana's program-record 10th straight trip to the postseason.

Montana (11-2-3, 5-0-1 BSC) could claim the outright Big Sky title, its third in sixth seasons under coach Chris Citowicki, with a win at home on Thursday afternoon against Sacramento State. The Grizzlies would lock up at least a share of the Big Sky championship with a draw against the Hornets.

Montana concludes the regular season on Sunday at noon with a home match against second-place Portland State.

"It's exciting to be coming home and being in that position," said Citowicki, who is 38-10-10 against league opponents in his six years leading the Grizzlies.

"It's the spot we want to be in. We still have to take care of business against a good team that's fighting for a playoff spot, so it's not going to be an easy game. We're just looking forward to being home in front of the fans. It feels like we've been gone forever."

Montana had several golden front-of-net opportunities against the Bears on Sunday to build a multiple-goal lead before halftime but had to wait until the 41st minute to open the scoring, when Maddie Ditta converted a penalty kick inside the left post for her third goal of the season.

The Grizzlies outshot the Bears 11-4 in the first half, putting six of those shots on goal, but had only the one-goal lead at halftime to show for it.

"That was the frustrating piece. Had to remind them, keep doing your job and getting to the right spots, and when those chances come we have to take them," said Citowicki.

Montana's second and third goals came less than three minutes apart early in the second half and put the match out of reach.

In the 56th minute, Skyleigh Thompson played a ball from the left wing that Eliza Bentler touched to Abby Gearhart, who did what she does best. It was her fourth goal of the season, her third in six league matches, the 18th of her collegiate career.

Less than three minutes later, Montana was on the attack again, with Thompson chasing down a ball left of goal. She was taken down inside the far corner of the box, which gave the Grizzlies another penalty kick.

Thompson took it and scored inside the right post, her second of the road trip, her fifth of the season, the 10th of her career.

"Thrilled to get Gearhart's finish. It was absolutely amazing. Then Skye, she just does Skye things. She is physical and people are overly physical back," said Citowicki.

Northern Colorado was limited to 10 shots, just three on goal, which gave Ashlyn Dvorak her ninth shutout of the season, but that doesn't mean the redshirt freshman goalkeeper wasn't busy. She owned the space in front of goal, per usual.

"Unlike other teams that go through the middle, Northern Colorado is excellent on the outside," said Citowicki. "She knew it was going to be a day of collecting crosses, and our defenders knew it was going to be a day of clearing headers and picking up second balls."

Montana finishes the regular season unbeaten away from home, going 7-0-2 in road and neutral-site matches. No Grizzly team has ever done that before in a fall season.

"We talked about it this morning, that this is a hard road trip and not an easy one to come away with six points, especially when you come down from the adrenaline hangover of playing at NAU," said Citowicki.

"Can we put together a professional performance knowing this is our second game of the week, their first, plus it's senior day with all that emotion? I thought we did an excellent job today."

Montana will host Sacramento State at 3 p.m. on Thursday, Portland State at noon on Sunday at South Campus Stadium.