Cagle named Big Sky Co-Player of the Week

Montana volleyball is currently riding its longest winning streak since 2006 after a perfect 3-0 weekend at the Pepsi Sycamores Invite. The impressive play has been honored by the Big Sky for the second straight week as setter Gracie Cagle has earned co-Offensive Player of the Week honors, the league announced Monday.

Cagle follows up Alexis Batezel's honors from last week to give Montana two Players of the Week in the opening three weeks of the season. It's just the third time since 2013 that Montana has had multiple players earn the honor in the same season, and we're not even out of non-conference play yet.

"I was very impressed by Gracie's command of the court and her decision making this weekend," head coach Allison Lawrence said.

The Grizzlies are operating on levels not seen since the 90s over the last two weeks, taking six straight matches and dropping just two sets during the run. They had not won 18 out of 20 sets since 1992.

The offense was a key reason for the wins in Terre Haute, and Cagle orchestrated that offense to perfection. Montana hit .305 as a team over the three matches, one of the best marks in the country during the week of play, and set a 25-point scoring era program record by hitting .416 in the win over Butler.

Cagle averaged 11.10 assists per set, a mark that ranked 24^th in the country during the week of play. She also got nearly everyone on the court involved in the attack as four different Grizzlies finished the week averaging at least 2.70 kills per set.

"Gracie was putting us in positions to have multiple kills to the floor on each swing. Hitters have to finish the job for sure, but when you have numbers like that it definitely means that the balls that they were getting were allowing for really decisive swings," Lawrence said. "It was a great partnership between her and her attackers to know what was open and really frustrate and overwhelm the opponent's defense."

The efforts earned her Tournament MVP recognition at the Pepsi Sycamores Invite. She was one of four Grizzlies to earn a spot on the All-Tournament Team.

Cagle leads the Big Sky this year through the first three weeks of the season with a 10.13 assist per set average. She ranks 27^th nationally in the category and has helped steer Montana's offense to the 3^rd best hitting percentage in the Big Sky.

"All weekend we felt really steady offensively and I think that speaks to Gracie's presence on the court," Lawrence said. "She has a very thoughtful kind of cerebral feel when she plays. You always get the sense, and I think her teammates do to, that she's very much in charge of her own game and in charge of our plan and execution offensively."

She added eight kills of her own, playing the dump at effective points throughout each match. She also ranked 2^nd on the team with 3.40 digs per set. Cagle also had four service aces and went on some long runs at the service line in Montana's wins.

"She's steady with her serving. She's always a threat from the service line," Lawrence said. "I think there is just something about her game that you know when she's out there you know what you will get because of how she prepares, how consistent she is, and how disciplined she is in her own details."

The Grizzlies have locked up a winning record in non-conference play for the second time under Coach Lawrence entering the final week of play. They head west this week to play at Gonzaga on Thursday night and against Seattle U on Friday in Cheney, Wash.

Montana opens Big Sky Conference play at home on Sept. 25 against Sacramento State. It's a split weekend to start Big Sky play with a road trip to Idaho coming on that Saturday, Sept. 27.

University of Montana Athletics

Players Mentioned

Alexis Batezel

Gracie Cagle

Related Videos