Griz hand Bearcats first loss of 2023 in five-set victory

Thursday, August 31

Buffalo, N.Y.

12 PM (MT)

Montana

1-3,0-0Big Sky

Binghamton

3-1,0-0America East

Montana

Binghamton

Graduate Catie Semadeni celebrates with her teammates after scoring a point against the BYU Cougars at the Ellesyn Invitational at Dahlberg Arena on Aug. 26, 2023.

Photo by: Tanner Ecker/UM Photo

Griz hand Bearcats first loss of 2023 in five-set victory

8/31/2023 3:23:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

By: Montana Sports Information

It took all five sets and some inspired performances across the lineup for Montana, but they did enough to knock off previously undefeated Binghamton 3-2 in the first match of the Buffalo Invite to pick up the first win of the season.

The Grizzlies (1-3) faced difficult opposition for the fourth straight match to open the season, facing off against the defending America East champions who began their 2023 campaign with a perfect 3-0 record. Montana never fell behind, winning all three odd sets for their seventh straight five-set victory.

Montana won 25-17, 23-25, 25-16, 16-25, 15-11. The Griz haven't lost a fifth set since October of 2021 after going undefeated last season.

"I think winning feels really good and there is no substitute for the boost that you get when you win," head coach Allison Lawrence said. "We're in a phase of our season where the only way out is through, and every match is a different puzzle to solve. We had to stick with this one until we saw it through and it feels really good. When you get that first one, it feels like it sets you free in a good way."

A balanced effort was required, as four different players reached double-digit kills for Montana in its best offensive performance of the season. The Grizzlies hit .237 as a team, and held Binghamton to .180 for the match.

A pair of big performances from Catie Semadeni and Maddie Kremer proved key to the Montana victory.

Semadeni had a match-high 18 kills on .536 hitting. For the fifth-year Grizzly, it was the most kills she's had in a match since early October of 2021. She did it with tremendous efficiency, committing just three errors. She also did it when her team needed it most, on multiple occasions.

In the third set win, Semadeni had three kills in a five-point stretch that shifted the momentum in favor of Montana. In the crucial fifth set, she had four kills. When Lawrence needed someone to call on, Semadeni delivered time after time.

"It felt like she was hitting 1.000, that's how effective it felt and how reliable she was," Lawrence said. "I think she just gave us so much momentum. She was just so terminal that I think everybody was celebrating her and getting momentum from her. As a senior with her attitude, I think she allowed us to relax and fight through some of our stress and our ups-and-downs."

Catie Semadeni picks up her 15th kill, her most in a match since 19 against Portland State on Oct. 14, 2021!#GrizVB | #BigSkyVB | #GoGriz pic.twitter.com/rpdb4ZB1NB
— Montana Griz Volleyball (@MontanaGrizVB) August 31, 2023

Kremer posted career highs in both kills and digs, remaining on the floor as a six-rotation attacker. Her 14 kills were second on the team, while her 24 digs were a match high for both teams. While Semadeni shined during the fifth set, it was the start from Kremer that set the tone of the match for Montana.

She had six kills on .400 hitting in the opening set, a 25-17 win for Montana, and opened up lanes for the rest of her teammates to attack.

"She keeps adding layers to her game every match. It's part of why her dig numbers were so high," Lawrence said. "She is just so aggressive to go play the ball, she's hungry to be a playmaker, and I think she's just getting better and better with each set. It was a breakout performance for her."

The Grizzlies started well. Paige Clark had three kills early to give Montana a 5-3 lead, and they would hold it for the entire first set. Kremer's hot start contributed to that, as her third kill in just four attacks put the Griz in front 12-9.

Maddie Kremer has three kills on four swings, including this off speed beauty, and Montana has gone on to extend the lead to five points at 14-9!#GrizVB | #BigSkyVB | #GoGriz pic.twitter.com/v9GCuZ5iih
— Montana Griz Volleyball (@MontanaGrizVB) August 31, 2023

The set opened up in favor of Montana from that point on, thanks in large part to the serving of Carly Anderson. The setter led a 5-0 Grizzly run by ripping off three aces, extending the Grizzly lead to 16-9.

There was no better sign that the set belonged to Kremer than the final few points. After making it 23-17 Montana with a massive swing, she stepped back to the service line for an ace and then another fantastic serve that put Binghamton out of system and finished the 25-17 win.

The Griz hit .273 in that opening set, and the defense allowed only six kills to Binghamton.

Montana again had a good offensive performance in the second set, hitting .267 compared to a .125 mark for Binghamton, but a big rally and an advantage at the service line tipped the set in favor of the Bearcats.

The first 16 points were split evenly between the two teams, but Binghamton would rattle off nine straight points to take full control of the second set. It all happened with Ella Schabort at the service line. Much like Anderson's first set run, Schabort found a weakness in the Grizzly receiving game and exploited it for four straight aces.

The Griz trailed 17-8, but wouldn't go away. They rattled off four straight to make it 17-12. Then a 3-0 Montana run made it 19-16 and forced Binghamton to take a timeout. Madi Chuhlantseff had kills on either side of the break to get it as close as 19-17.

What once looked like an insurmountable lead suddenly vanished when Sarah Ashley served an ace that tied the set at 23-all. The comeback would come up agonizingly short, however, as Binghamton scored the final two points of the set for a 25-23 win.

Montana had more kills on a higher percentage, and more digs defensively, but the Grizzlies had three aces and five errors at the service line while Binghamton had five aces and three errors. The marginal difference there would prove critical.

The third set would be the strongest of the match for Montana. It went back and forth early, highlighted by some impressive play for Chuhlantseff. She and Anderson combined for a block to give the Griz a 10-9 lead. At that point in the set, Chuhlantseff already had three kills and two blocks.

Binghamton responded with a 5-0 run, and Lawrence was forced to take a timeout with her team trailing 13-10. The Grizzlies, and more specifically Semadeni, responded out of the break. She had three kills as part of a 5-0 Grizzly run that shifted all momentum in favor of Montana.

Ashley fired off back-to-back aces that built the Grizzly lead to 19-15. The Grizzlies would eventually score the final six points of the set, all with Kremer at the service line, to seal a 25-16 win and retake a 2-1 set lead.

While the third set was everything the Grizzlies wanted, the fourth set reversed that. Binghamton led the entire way, holding Montana under .100 hitting and siding out 82 percent of the time. Montana never got close, and fell 25-16 to enter the fifth set.

It's a place where Montana has had great success over the years. Last year, Montana finished 4-0 in five-set matches and outscored opponents 60-38 in the set. The senior leadership of Semadeni again helped set an early tone for Montana.

They jumped out to a 5-3 lead, thanks to three kills from Semadeni. Clark, with 11 kills and a .167 percentage, may not have had her sharpest game, but she delivered down the stretch with several key kills. Chuhlantseff had the final touch of the match, picking up her 11^th kill to end it 15-11. It is the most kills for Chuhlantseff in a match since a 17-kill performance during the 2021 spring season.

Chuhlantseff's 11th kill wins it.

Semadeni with 18 kills (.536) to lead the way.

Kremer has career highs in kills (14) and digs (24).

Paige Clark with 14 kills and Carly Anderson hits 50-plus assists for the 11th time in her career.#GrizVB | #BigSkyVB | #GoGriz pic.twitter.com/hBS7jXa6Sa
— Montana Griz Volleyball (@MontanaGrizVB) August 31, 2023

"I'm really proud of our effort to push through in the fifth set," Lawrence said. "Even though we felt out of rhythm and out of sync in some ways, I think we really trusted that we could have enough grit to push past the opponent."

Carly Anderson had 52 assists and three aces in the win. It's the 11^th time in her career that she has eclipsed the 50-assist mark, and first time this season.

Sarah Ashley played a huge role defensively with eight digs and a perfect 1.000 reception percentage, and she also had four aces.

Montana now await a matchup with the tournament host Buffalo on Friday at 4:00 p.m. (MT). The Bulls are currently 3-0, but will have a match against DePaul later on Thursday night before facing Montana.