Griz sweep Vandals for 10th straight win

Saturday, September 27

Moscow, Idaho

7:00 PM (MT)

Montana

10-3,2-0Big Sky

Idaho

3-11,0-2Big Sky

Montana

Idaho

Photo by: Tommy Martino/University of Montana

9/27/2025 9:17:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

By: Montana Sports Information

The Montana volleyball program, just one week into Big Sky Conference play, have matched their win total from 2024 by extending the longest winning streak of the century to 10 matches after a sweep of Idaho in Memorial Gym in Moscow on Saturday night.

There have been plenty of gaudy statistics surrounding Montana's current winning streak and they added another accolade on Saturday as they swept the opening two matches of Big Sky play for the first time since 1990.

They took care of business in Moscow by winning 25-20, 25-21, 25-20 for the win.

"I'm proud of our team. We've built a lot of confidence and joy in our game and that's from all 18 players, no matter who is out on the floor," head coach Allison Lawrence said. "I love how they are so unified around what our goals are this year and they are playing for those goals and the bigger picture."

Montana (10-3, 2-0 Big Sky) wins for the 10^th straight time, matching the 1990 team for the 5^th longest winning streak in program history. The Grizzlies are one of just 11 teams in the country to have a double-digit winning streak this season.

It's the third time under Lawrence that Montana has started a season 2-0 in league play, doing so in 2022 and 2018. In the rivalry against the Vandals, Montana has now won eight straight matches dating back to 2021.

It was another impressive offensive night for the Grizzlies as they hit .276 while holding Idaho to just .119.

Montana was balanced offensively once again as 11 different players were credited with a kill on Saturday night. Delaney Russell led with 12 kills on .207 hitting and Olivia LaBeau was second on the team with eight kills on .429 hitting.

Carley Spachman and Sophia Vella each hit over .500 with five kills while freshman Mylee Blake had six kills. Gracie Cagle had 25 assists, but Lawrence also used a 6-2 formation to give freshman setter Annika Wright experience. Wright had a season-high 13 assists.

The hosts came out well in the opening set, leading for the first half hour or so of the match as Montana looked to settle in on the road. Once the Griz found their rhythm they started to take control, using a 4-0 run into the media timeout to retake the lead at 15-13.

The difference maker in the opening set came down the stretch with Pierce at the service line. The Grizzlies scored five straight points to take a 22-18 lead and force Idaho to use both of its timeouts.

"We were scoring, but we were a little more high error than we have been. Idaho did a nice job putting pressure on us with their block and their pursuit on defense," Lawrence said. "I loved our patience and our poise through an Idaho team that was playing loose at home and swinging well out of system to put pressure on different parts of our game."

Cagle ended a marathon point with a setter's dump for a kill that gave the Grizzlies set point. They went to senior Maddie Pyles for the final point of the set and she delivered with a kill to end the first 25-20.

It was just the second kill of the season for Pyles, who has battled back from a preseason injury to get into the front row for the first time all season.

Idaho took the first three points of the second set but once again Montana found the momentum to retake the lead. It came earlier this this time around and was delivered from the arms of freshmen for the most part.

Blake and Vella, two true freshmen, combined to score four straight Grizzly points to give Montana a 12-9 lead. Delaney Russell sent the match into the media timeout with a big kill to put Montana up 15-12 and the Grizzlies led by as many as six as the coasted to a second set win.

They used a 6-2 formation on-and-off in the match and the freshman duo of Annika Wright and Sophia Vella both contributed in big ways to the win.

"It was great to see Sophia Vella come in, she had two kills right away and blocked really well. I thought Annika Wright set really well, held scouting report details and got us a lot of single blocks and kept us in rhythm," Lawrence said. "I think with lineup changes, anyone that went into the game held our structure and added to what was going on."

The Griz left no doubt in the third set, jumping out to an early lead, building up to as many as seven points, and leading the entire way en route to the sweep. Lawrence was also able to get plenty of players into the match as she leaned on her bench in the third for the victory.

Alexis Batezel led Montana with 12 digs and the Grizzlies had seven blocks to Idaho's three. Sydney Pierce led Montana with four blocks on the night. Montana went deep into their bench as plenty of players got Big Sky experience on the road.

"Grace Ryland did a great job coming in and serving, Halle Walker served well, Emma Williams came in and had some nice swings and kept the pressure on. Josie Blazina had a monster kill to end the match which was fun to see."

It's been a historic month for Montana, and Lawrence credits the entire coaching and support staff for the Grizzlies for pushing this young group to reach historic levels. Associate head coach Dana Hallisey has been with Lawrence since her first year in 2017.

Assistant coaches Ollie Nicholson and Sarah Birky have played huge roles, along with athletic trainer Katelyn Pounds and strength coach Zach Rockford.

"I don't think we have this kind of sustained success without really incredibly effort from our whole staff. I'm just really proud to work alongside a coaching staff, athletic training, and strength staff that have pushed our group from every angle possible," Lawrence said. "We had two assistant trainers on the road with us and I feel a big sense of unity. The same unity that we see on the court is happening with our staff and at all levels, and everyone deserves a lot of credit."

Montana will return home for two big matches next week. They will play defending regular season champion Northern Colorado on Thursday and then the top team in the Big Sky this season, Northern Arizona, on Saturday.

"I think the message in the locker room will continue to be that it only gets harder from here," Lawrence said. "We've taken a lot of great lessons and we're going to need get tougher, sharper, and more resilient as we go further into Big Sky play. I'm excited to see what new levels we can find to our game next week."