Griz win second straight Big Sky title

Sunday, October 27

Ogden, Utah

1 PM

Montana

12-2-4, 6-0-2BSC

Weber State

2-13-5, 1-6-1BSC

Montana

Weber State

Photos: Weber State Athletics

10/27/2024 5:52:00 PM | Soccer

Box Score

By: Montana Sports Information

A day that began with so much potential drama ended without any at all and with the Montana soccer team in a familiar spot.

Needing a win at Weber State on Sunday afternoon to guarantee their second consecutive Big Sky Conference championship, their 10th overall – or look and hope for help elsewhere – the Grizzlies scored early and often and cruised to a 3-0 victory over the Wildcats in Ogden.

They escorted any drama right off the field, left it there and eliminated the need for any scoreboard-watching.

The win gave Montana, which hasn't lost since August, a 6-0-2 run through league, a season after going 7-0-1. It's the first time in Big Sky history a program has gone unbeaten in back-to-back seasons.

Jen Estes scored 62 seconds into Sunday's match to remove any pregame edginess, and an own goal by Weber State in the 10th minute took any hope out of the air the Wildcats had of playing spoiler.

Montana locked down defensively on the home team, limiting Weber State to four shots over 90 minutes, only one of which was on goal.

Lucie Rokos' first career goal in the 87th minute gave Montana a 3-0 lead and a three-minute head start on its championship celebration.

"We've got players who have been in this position before. We talked about it in the locker room. For those of you who this is the first time, get used to it, because this is what we do," said coach Chris Citowicki.

Citowicki has now led his team to a Big Sky title – either regular season, tournament or both – in six of his seven seasons leading the Grizzlies.

"This is what we do yearly," he added. "We put ourselves in spots where we can compete for titles. And if you've been there before, you know what to do. You know how to finish this off, so let's go out there and get it done. That's exactly what they did."

It couldn't have started any better for Montana, which took possession of a clearance attempt in the opening minute.

Charley Boone took a few touches toward the top of the box, gently lofted the ball ahead to Estes, who held her onside position just long enough to spring behind the Weber State defense and score her seventh goal of the season. It was Boone's second career assist.

It was the fourth-fastest goal in program history, the quickest to open a match since 2006.

"That's experienced players with a clutch finish in a tense moment," said Citowicki. "Going into the game, you're excited but you're nervous and you hope you don't miss your first couple chances. For Jen to put that away so early, that was beautiful."

Montana went up 2-0 in the 10th minute off a cross by Ava Samuelson. Chloe Seelhoff and two Weber State players went up to head the ball in front of goal. It sailed over them untouched and deflected off another Wildcat defender and into the goal.

What was happening in Greeley at the same time between Idaho and Northern Colorado no longer seemed very important. (The Bears would win 1-0.) And it wasn't. Montana had taken control not only of the match but of its championship fortunes.

"The start was fast, it was furious and we got good looks," said Citowicki. "The only difficult piece at halftime was keeping them motivated because they could easily drop their own level. Finish the game, find another goal."

Weber State didn't put its first shot on goal until the 55th minute. It was saved by Bayliss Flynn, who improved to 9-0-4 with the win. She has 10 shutouts in 13 starts, a .919 save percentage that will likely lead the nation on Monday and a 0.38 goals-against average.

She began the season behind an all-region goalkeeper, got her chance after an injury to Ashlyn Dvorak and hasn't looked back.

It's the next-(wo)man-up, on-to-the-next mentality that allows Citowicki – and by extension, his team – to remain grounded in the moment and focused on the task at hand. Who's healthy and available? Let's coach them up. Who's next up on the schedule? Let's prepare who we have to win it.

"Going into this one, it wasn't, we have to win this," he said. "It was, can we play better than we did against Idaho State? The daily focus allows us to not even feel any pressure with all that stuff."

With the party already started as the match got deeper and deeper, it was time for a feel-good goal.

It started with Kayla Rendon Bushmaker, emerging more and more as a dangerous playmaker, on the left side, toying with a defender before making a break toward the end line. Her left-footed cross went through the box, off a Wildcat defender and to the feet of Rokos on the right side.

She powered it into the net for her first career goal. "For it to be Lucie, from Kayla, who has been working so hard on that cross, was just beautiful," said Citowicki.

The win gave Montana plenty of spoils: the regular-season championship, the No. 1 seed for next month's tournament in Missoula, the right to host next year's tournament as well.

Montana will play in the second semifinal match on Friday, Nov. 8, at 2 p.m. against either No. 4 Northern Arizona or No. 5 Sacramento State.

The Lumberjacks and Hornets will play a quarterfinal match at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 6.

Montana went 9-0-1 at South Campus Stadium and is unbeaten at home in its last 15 matches. The Grizzlies will be two results from another title and a trip to the NCAA tournament.

"We knew we have three games and two trophies on the line," said Citowicki. "We got the first one today, now we're on to the next one. Can't wait to be back home playing for it."