Thursday, October 22
Pocatello, Idaho
7:00 PM
Montana
6-14,2-7Big Sky
at
Idaho State
15-6,6-2Big Sky
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montana | 27 | 18 | 25 | 17 | 1 |
| Idaho St. | 29 | 25 | 20 | 25 | 3 |
Photo by: Jacob Piapot/University of Montana
10/22/2026 9:51:00 PM | Volleyball
The Montana volleyball team pushed Idaho State to the brink in the first set and won the third set, but couldn't overcome a hot offensive night, falling in three sets. The Grizzlies had two set point opportunities in the first but couldn't convert as Idaho State won 29-27, 25-18, 20-25, 25-17.
The Grizzly offense improved its hitting percentage in every single set on the night, starting at .106 and finishing with a .279 percentage in the final set. They just couldn't slow the one-two punch of Mia Walsh and Jaydin Watts who combined for 32 kills on .527 hitting for Idaho State.
"I think some things showed up that we trained on all week and some skills that haven't been showing up consistently that did, so I'm proud of that," head coach Allison Lawrence said. "I think ultimately that consistency and effort to hold details for the entire match wasn't there."
Delaney Russell had a season-best performance with 19 kills on .265 hitting. She reached a double-double with 13 digs. Josie Blazina set a new career high with 12 kills on .346 hitting.
Russell had a couple of big sets on the outside and freshman Kaylee Paulson provided a spark off the bench after Montana fell behind 2-0. She ended the night with six kills on .250 hitting.
"I was glad to have that pin production," Lawrence said. "We had needed our lefts to step up and score and I thought Delaney did a nice job with her rhythm and shot selection. I think Kaylee also provided a big spark and a big change and came in and got a lot of kills."
Idaho State (15-6, 7-2 Big Sky) had a big rally early in the first set to gain momentum, scoring five straight to build an early 7-2 lead over Montana. It came on five early errors from the Griz as they were deep in the negatives early on in the first set.
Montana (6-14, 2-7 Big Sky) responded well against one of the top teams in the league from there, slowly climbing back into the opening set. The service line, as it has been many times this season, helped the Griz gain some momentum.
They took their first lead of the match on back-to-back service aces from Gracie Cagle, who has led the Big Sky Conference each of the last two seasons in service aces. She gave Montana an 18-17 advantage down the stretch, but Idaho State pulled back in front 23-19 after a 6-1 run.
Jaydin Watts gave Idaho State set point at 24-21, but the Grizzlies leaned on middle blocker Josie Blazina and withstood three straight set point opportunities. Blazina had three straight kills to tie it. Annika Wright dialed up a service ace to give Montana set point at 25-24.
Idaho State answered, but Russell gave Montana another chance at 26-25. Idaho State blocked a Grizzly attack and eventually pulled away 29-27 to win a highly competitive opening set.
Cagle had three kills and two service aces in the first set while also handing out eight assists to her teammates. The senior setter got more opportunities to swing on the attack, ending the night with five kills on 20 swings and 29 total assists.
"I think Gracie really steadies us and that was the biggest hitting role she's had all season," Lawrence said. "She swung with a lot of confidence and range and provided a lot of good structure there. We are struggling to score from the right side, and she provides another layer of versatility for us."
The second set opened with a back-and-forth battle as the teams traded the lead four times in the first 13 points.
The Grizzlies held Idaho State to a lower percentage in the second and improved their own hitting percentage from .106 to .125, but they didn't get any service aces and Idaho State was able to get the momentum down the stretch, leading by as many as nine and winning the second 25-18.
Lawrence made some tweaks to the lineup in the third and got a response from her team. Kaylee Paulson stepped into a bigger role and had two early kills as part of a 7-3 start to the set for the Grizzlies. Idaho State scored the first point, but once Montana took the lead they didn't relinquish it the rest of the way in the third.
"I thought that was a much-needed change," Lawrence said. "We've got to have consistent pin production and Kaylee was a big piece of that. That felt good and felt like something that we had focused on all week that we brought into the gym with confidence."
The Griz held the Bengals at an arm's length for much of the set. After the hot start, the Bengals remained within three points for a majority of the way. They got back within a point at 20-19, but the Grizzlies finished the set out strong. Blazina had a kill on a quick-set from Cagle and then the duo combined for a block to force an Idaho State timeout at 22-19.
They ended the set on a 3-0 run that started with a kill from the freshman Paulson and ended with her dialing up a service ace to win it 25-20 for Montana.
Russell had her best set of the night in Montana's win, recording six kills with zero errors for a .462 hitting percentage.
Idaho State opened with a 4-1 lead in the fourth. The Griz were able to get it back to a 5-5 tie, but the Bengals scored six of the next seven to take the lead for good. The hosts led by as many as eight points and won 25-17 in the final set to secure the victory.
Montana had its best offensive performance of the night in the fourth set, hitting .279, but the Bengals had 18 kills with zero errors to race past the Griz.
Blazina had nine kills on .500 hitting in Montana's last match against Utah Tech and had another big day on Thursday night with 12 kills on .346 hitting.
"Josie has put together a couple matches in a row where she's been really offensively productive," Lawrence said. "She's really fast and working really hard to get available and was pushing our offense forward."
Montana reaches the midway point of the Big Sky season at 2-7 and begins the back half of league play on Saturday at home. The Grizzlies return to Missoula to host Weber State (12-7, 5-4 Big Sky) at 2:00 p.m. inside Dahlberg Arena.
"I think we have to keep our belief and our drive, and I think this team is tough enough to do it," Lawrence said. "I love showing up in the gym with them every day and getting to work. We have to keep that joy for the process alive and I think our team will do that."
The Grizzly offense improved its hitting percentage in every single set on the night, starting at .106 and finishing with a .279 percentage in the final set. They just couldn't slow the one-two punch of Mia Walsh and Jaydin Watts who combined for 32 kills on .527 hitting for Idaho State.
"I think some things showed up that we trained on all week and some skills that haven't been showing up consistently that did, so I'm proud of that," head coach Allison Lawrence said. "I think ultimately that consistency and effort to hold details for the entire match wasn't there."
Delaney Russell had a season-best performance with 19 kills on .265 hitting. She reached a double-double with 13 digs. Josie Blazina set a new career high with 12 kills on .346 hitting.
Russell had a couple of big sets on the outside and freshman Kaylee Paulson provided a spark off the bench after Montana fell behind 2-0. She ended the night with six kills on .250 hitting.
"I was glad to have that pin production," Lawrence said. "We had needed our lefts to step up and score and I thought Delaney did a nice job with her rhythm and shot selection. I think Kaylee also provided a big spark and a big change and came in and got a lot of kills."
Idaho State (15-6, 7-2 Big Sky) had a big rally early in the first set to gain momentum, scoring five straight to build an early 7-2 lead over Montana. It came on five early errors from the Griz as they were deep in the negatives early on in the first set.
Montana (6-14, 2-7 Big Sky) responded well against one of the top teams in the league from there, slowly climbing back into the opening set. The service line, as it has been many times this season, helped the Griz gain some momentum.
They took their first lead of the match on back-to-back service aces from Gracie Cagle, who has led the Big Sky Conference each of the last two seasons in service aces. She gave Montana an 18-17 advantage down the stretch, but Idaho State pulled back in front 23-19 after a 6-1 run.
Jaydin Watts gave Idaho State set point at 24-21, but the Grizzlies leaned on middle blocker Josie Blazina and withstood three straight set point opportunities. Blazina had three straight kills to tie it. Annika Wright dialed up a service ace to give Montana set point at 25-24.
Idaho State answered, but Russell gave Montana another chance at 26-25. Idaho State blocked a Grizzly attack and eventually pulled away 29-27 to win a highly competitive opening set.
Cagle had three kills and two service aces in the first set while also handing out eight assists to her teammates. The senior setter got more opportunities to swing on the attack, ending the night with five kills on 20 swings and 29 total assists.
"I think Gracie really steadies us and that was the biggest hitting role she's had all season," Lawrence said. "She swung with a lot of confidence and range and provided a lot of good structure there. We are struggling to score from the right side, and she provides another layer of versatility for us."
The second set opened with a back-and-forth battle as the teams traded the lead four times in the first 13 points.
The Grizzlies held Idaho State to a lower percentage in the second and improved their own hitting percentage from .106 to .125, but they didn't get any service aces and Idaho State was able to get the momentum down the stretch, leading by as many as nine and winning the second 25-18.
Lawrence made some tweaks to the lineup in the third and got a response from her team. Kaylee Paulson stepped into a bigger role and had two early kills as part of a 7-3 start to the set for the Grizzlies. Idaho State scored the first point, but once Montana took the lead they didn't relinquish it the rest of the way in the third.
"I thought that was a much-needed change," Lawrence said. "We've got to have consistent pin production and Kaylee was a big piece of that. That felt good and felt like something that we had focused on all week that we brought into the gym with confidence."
The Griz held the Bengals at an arm's length for much of the set. After the hot start, the Bengals remained within three points for a majority of the way. They got back within a point at 20-19, but the Grizzlies finished the set out strong. Blazina had a kill on a quick-set from Cagle and then the duo combined for a block to force an Idaho State timeout at 22-19.
They ended the set on a 3-0 run that started with a kill from the freshman Paulson and ended with her dialing up a service ace to win it 25-20 for Montana.
Russell had her best set of the night in Montana's win, recording six kills with zero errors for a .462 hitting percentage.
Idaho State opened with a 4-1 lead in the fourth. The Griz were able to get it back to a 5-5 tie, but the Bengals scored six of the next seven to take the lead for good. The hosts led by as many as eight points and won 25-17 in the final set to secure the victory.
Montana had its best offensive performance of the night in the fourth set, hitting .279, but the Bengals had 18 kills with zero errors to race past the Griz.
Blazina had nine kills on .500 hitting in Montana's last match against Utah Tech and had another big day on Thursday night with 12 kills on .346 hitting.
"Josie has put together a couple matches in a row where she's been really offensively productive," Lawrence said. "She's really fast and working really hard to get available and was pushing our offense forward."
Montana reaches the midway point of the Big Sky season at 2-7 and begins the back half of league play on Saturday at home. The Grizzlies return to Missoula to host Weber State (12-7, 5-4 Big Sky) at 2:00 p.m. inside Dahlberg Arena.
"I think we have to keep our belief and our drive, and I think this team is tough enough to do it," Lawrence said. "I love showing up in the gym with them every day and getting to work. We have to keep that joy for the process alive and I think our team will do that."
Players Mentioned
OH
/ Volleyball
S
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
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/ VolleyballTeam Stats
Mont
ISU
Kills
54
62
Errors
22
15
Attempts
173
146
Hitting %
.185
.322
Points
66.0
77.0
Assists
48
58
Aces
7
4
Blocks
5
11
Game Leaders
Kills
19
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
12
Aces
1
Blocks
4
Kills
6
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
6
Aces
1
Blocks
0
Tuesday, October 06
Monday, October 05
Tuesday, September 15
Wednesday, September 09
