Griz dominate at the net again, hand Utah Valley first loss

Thursday, September 5

Missoula, Mont.

6:00 PM

Montana

3-2,0-0Big Sky

Utah Valley

3-1,0-0WAC

Utah Valley

Montana

Photo by: Ryan Brennecke/ University of Montana

Griz dominate at the net again, hand Utah Valley first loss

9/5/2024 9:36:00 PM | Volleyball

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By: Montana Sports Information

For the second consecutive match, the Montana defense proved to be the difference maker in a Griz volleyball victory. The Grizzlies tied for their most blocks in a match since 2012 in a four-set win over previously unbeaten Utah Valley in the first match of the Ellesyn Invitational.

Montana (2-2) recorded 16 blocks in the match with the two middles Brenley Hansen (8) and Sierra Dennison (7) leading the way. It's the first time since October of 1999 that Montana has recorded at least 15 blocks in consecutive matches.

"Sierra is a beast. When you watch her, she is so big and so instinctual and has put in so much work over the last several years to be ready to do this," head coach Allison Lawrence said. "Brenley as well, our middle core is creating defensive opportunities for us to stop balls and not allow the offense to cross the net, but also when possessions get past our middles we're able to score because they are easier opportunities."

It wasn't the prettiest of matches through the first two sets. The sides won a set apiece while struggling to find a flow on the offensive end. Montana held Utah Valley to a negative hitting percentage in the first set, the first time they had accomplished that this season.

But in the second, Montana were held to a season-worst -.200 hitting percentage as the Wolverines got back into the match. From there, it was a dominant performance from Montana to seal the win. They hit .308 and .385 in the final two sets to close out the 3-1 (25-21, 20-25, 25-16, 25-15) win.

"The stat sheet is a little bit crazy," Lawrence said. "We had sets offensively where we're hitting .097 and then negative, and then hitting in the .300s the last two sets. But we were in the first two sets, won the first and lost the second but still felt in it. I love our team's patience to find our offensive rhythm and really trust each other and find that kind of growth in a match. It's awesome to see."

Maddie Pyles had the first three kills of the night for Montana, building on an All-Tournament performance last week at the Grand Canyon Invitational. Paige Clark gave Montana an 8-7 lead with her first kill, but Montana really opened things up through the middle portions of the set.

Maddie Pyles gets the Ellesyn Invitational started with a big swing on the outside! #GrizVB | #GoGriz pic.twitter.com/jsD2L91lEu
— Montana Griz Volleyball (@MontanaGrizVB) September 6, 2024

The Grizzlies put together a 5-0 run to jump ahead 18-11, and did it while hitting nearly .400 and holding Utah Valley in the negatives. The Wolverines would pick it up defensively and force some Montana errors down the stretch, but the Grizzlies still held on for the 25-21 set win. Utah Valley hit -.028 with 10 kills and 11 errors, making it the first time this year that Montana held an opponent in the negatives in a single set.

The second set looked to be a continuation of the first out of the gates as Montana went ahead 3-0, then 6-1, and then 9-3 after a trio of short runs. But Montana cooled off and allowed Utah Valley to take its first lead of the set at 17-15 after a 5-0 run.

Paige Clark cuts one inside for her fourth kill of the match, and it's all Montana inside Dahlberg right now!#GrizVB | #GoGriz pic.twitter.com/aQ2dcwRoFi
— Montana Griz Volleyball (@MontanaGrizVB) September 6, 2024

Utah Valley would hold Montana to just six kills with 13 errors in the set, which resulted in a -.200 hitting percentage.

In the third set, Utah Valley jumped out to an early 4-1 lead but Montana scored six straight points to take the lead back for good and force a timeout from the visitors. Casi Newman was key to the run, serving up two aces during the stretch and continuously putting Utah Valley under pressure.

The Grizzlies rolled offensively in the set, hitting .308 with just three errors. The trio of Clark, Maddie Kremer, and Maddie Pyles led the way with at least three kills each on better than .300 hitting.

Jackie Howell entered the match and helped ice the set, serving during a 4-0 run that put it away 25-16. After their worst offensive set of the season in the previous set, they followed it up with their best of the year at .308.

The Grizzlies left no doubt in the final set. After Utah Valley jumped ahead 5-4, the Grizzlies scored 10 of the next 12 points to put the match out of reach. Pyles sparked a 6-0 run during that time with a kill that put her at the service line. She added an ace during the run as Montana took a 14-7 lead.

They would hold on for the 25-15 win in the final set. It was the best set of the year in many ways for Montana. It was the largest set win for the Grizzlies on their best hitting percentage (.385) as they had 14 kills to just four errors.

Clark dominated the final set, picking up five of her 14 kills on the night in the closing set on .500 hitting. Montana had four blocks as a team as well, holding Utah Valley to just .065 hitting.

The Wolverines hit just .063 on the night. It's the second straight match Montana has held its opponent under .100 hitting. They did it just twice last year, and have done it in consecutive matches for the first time since September of 2022.

The middle blockers, as mentioned earlier, were key to this. But it was a complete team effort as Pyles contributed six blocks and the pins got involved as well.

"Then the pieces around them in Maddie Pyles, Maddie Kremer, and Paige Clark are so physical in ways where it forces opponents pins to change their swings and it forces a lot of errors," Lawrence said. "I think we saw that early and got Utah Valley off their rhythm because they are a very offensive team."

Paige Clark cuts one inside for her fourth kill of the match, and it's all Montana inside Dahlberg right now!#GrizVB | #GoGriz pic.twitter.com/aQ2dcwRoFi
— Montana Griz Volleyball (@MontanaGrizVB) September 6, 2024

The Wolverines entered the night unbeaten and had dropped just a single set through their first three matches. Montana brought an end to that run on Thursday.

Clark's 14 kills on .281 hitting led the way, and she just missed out on a double-double with nine digs. Maddie Pyles set a career high last Sunday in kills and one-upped herself tonight, recording a new best of 12 kills.

Brenley Hansen had a team-high eight blocks and added five kills on .300 hitting. Sierra Dennison had seven blocks and was held in check offensively, but her efforts really opened things up for the rest of the team.

"I think when you look at a stat sheet and see, OK, someone is hitting negative you think there needs to be a change there," Lawrence said. "But she was holding blocks and we were getting splits and we were setting away from her. It's work that doesn't show up on a stat sheet but is so valuable."

It takes the entire team working in sync together to put up big numbers in the hitting categories. Dennison and Hansen in the middle created opportunities for their teammates by drawing blocks, and setter Casi Newman, who had 33 assists, found the right ball all night long.

"I think a big part of the .300 hitting percentages is because of our middles. They weren't scoring often, but they were holding blocks for our pins," Lawrence said. "That's the work of a middle, sometimes it's the dirty work of just doing your job so that other people can finish the point, and Sierra did that pretty masterfully tonight."

The Grizzlies will have Friday off as a pair of neutral site matches will be played. The Grizzlies return to action on Saturday morning at 11:00 against Southern Miss and will conclude the weekend on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. against Boise State.