Thursday, October 29
St. George, Utah
6:00 PM
Montana
at
Utah Tech
Photo by: Noah Epps/university of Montana
10/27/2026 10:12:00 AM | Volleyball
The Montana volleyball team returns to the road this weekend for a new Big Sky road trip as they take on league newcomers Utah Tech and Southern Utah for the second time in the last three weeks after hosting the schools in mid-October.
It's a weekend in which Montana's two opponents are 18-22 combined and 10-10 in league play, but provide two very different challenges as Utah Tech remains unbeaten and carries a 14-match winning streak into Thursday's contest. Southern Utah, meanwhile, is still looking for its first Big Sky win in its second stint in the league.
Under head coach Allison Lawrence, Montana has typically been a better team in the second half of the conference season. The Griz have improved their record five times in nine years under Lawrence and will look to do so again in 2026 as they try to play their way back into a postseason position.
Montana enters the week in 10th in the league standings with eight teams making the Big Sky Tournament, but they have an upcoming schedule that should give them plenty of opportunities for wins as the close out the stretch.
The Griz have shown improvement over the last three weeks but are still trying to figure out ways to finish sets off. They had an early set point opportunity at Idaho State last week that could have given them momentum in the match that they weren't able to close out, and they went the distance with Weber State on Saturday but fell in sets four and five to drop a third straight match.
They have been highly competitive, but in order to make the tournament they are going to have to start swinging some of the close matches in their favor.
"There were so many good things that happened this last weekend," Lawrence said. "But again, set points where we didn't win sets, set points where we did, a really close Weber State game where we had a decent lead. We keep putting ourselves in positions to have a lot of success.
"Whether we're finding that success in the win column, it's not happening as often as it needs to, but what we're applying in practice, what we're learning, the way we're developing has all been really encouraging," Lawrence said. "I love showing up with the team every day and getting to work."
Over Montana's last six matches, they have lost three sets where they held at least a single set point. In two of those matches, they could have potentially had two sets to one leads if they converted the set point opportunities, and they ended up losing both.
The margins can be painfully slim in the game of volleyball, as Montana has learned this season. In that same six-match stretch, the Grizzlies are just 2-7 in sets decided by the minimum of two points.
All seven sets that they have lost by the minimum number of points have come in losses, including two sets against Weber State and two sets at Northern Arizona. If those results flip, the Grizzlies could be comfortably in the middle of the league standings.
"That's been a little bit of a head scratcher. The number of set points that we've had where we've ended up not winning the set has been really frustrating," Lawrence said. "It's been all about responding to those situations, getting more experience. I think the rage we all feel in those moments is because it's right there and we just have to do it. It's a one-point, two-point thing."
Montana now enters a week where, on paper, the results of both matches appear pretty clear going into it. But the Big Sky Conference is always full of surprises, and this week could start Montana's push to the postseason.
Lawrence and her team will be ready for anything in Utah on Halloween weekend.
"The Big Sky is crazy and I think anything can happen on any given night," Lawrence said. "I think we are still very much in control of our own destiny in terms of making the postseason and there are several teams close to where we are and lots that can still happen."
FOUR-MATCH GAUNTLET
Montana is in the midst of the most difficult four-match stretch you could have in the Big Sky Conference this season. It comes to an end Thursday night at Utah Tech, the second match in the last four against the undefeated Trailblazers.
They lost at second-place Idaho State and hosted 4th place Weber State during the stretch. They are all inside the top 126 in the latest RPI rankings.
SECOND HALF IMPROVEMENTS
Montana has improved in the back half of conference play five times in the first nine seasons under Coach Lawrence. The Grizzlies have improved by two-or-more wins on four of those occasions.
They will be seeking a similar turnaround in 2026 as they enter the second half of league play on the outside of the top eight in the league standings.
LAWRENCE CLOSES IN ON 100 WINS
Head coach Allison Lawrence is in her 10th season leading Montana and is closing in on a career milestone. Lawrence has 99 wins with Montana. She would become just the third coach in program history to reach 100 wins, joining Dick Scott (403) and Jerry Wagner (102).
Lawrence could move into second in program history for career wins this year with another 10-win season. Her teams have won at least 10 matches in each of the previous five seasons.
GRIZ SEEK FIRST ROAD WIN
Montana is 0-8 in true road matches this year. They have lost 10 straight road matches overall dating back to last season. The Grizzlies have found success away from Missoula, going 4-3 in neutral site matches, but are still seeking a true road win.
PLAYING ON HALLOWEEN
This is the 14th match played on Halloween in Montana program history. The Grizzlies are 8-5 on Oct. 31 with the most recent match coming in 2024. They lost 3-2 at Idaho State that year. Prior to that match, the Grizzlies hadn't played on Halloween since 2015.
CAGLE THRIVING IN ADJUSTED ROLE
Setter Gracie Cagle, a preseason All-Big Sky pick, has always been a good attacker for the setter position. She's taken that skill to new heights over the past couple of weeks as she has started swinging in a 6-2 rotation.
It led to a new career high in both kills (9) and attacks (27) against Weber State on Oct. 24. Still primarily serving as a setter, Cagle will also step outside for a rotation and get swings from the setting of Annika Wright.
MONTANA NOTES
SCOUTING UTAH TECH (17-3, 10-0 Big Sky)
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE TRAILBLAZERS
This is the second meeting all-time between Montana and Utah Tech, both coming in the span of 12 days. The Trailblazers swept Montana in Missoula in the first meeting.
SCOUTING SOUTHERN UTAH (1-19, 0-10 Big Sky)
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE THUNDERBIRDS
Montana and Southern Utah have met 17 times with Montana leading the series 9-8. 15 of the meetings came when Southern Utah was a member of the Big Sky Conference previously from 2012-21.
The Thunderbirds lead the series 5-3 in Cedar City. Montana did win the last meeting in Cedar City 3-0 in 2021.
UP NEXT
Montana returns home for a big weekend against Northern Arizona and Portland State.
It's a weekend in which Montana's two opponents are 18-22 combined and 10-10 in league play, but provide two very different challenges as Utah Tech remains unbeaten and carries a 14-match winning streak into Thursday's contest. Southern Utah, meanwhile, is still looking for its first Big Sky win in its second stint in the league.
Under head coach Allison Lawrence, Montana has typically been a better team in the second half of the conference season. The Griz have improved their record five times in nine years under Lawrence and will look to do so again in 2026 as they try to play their way back into a postseason position.
Montana enters the week in 10th in the league standings with eight teams making the Big Sky Tournament, but they have an upcoming schedule that should give them plenty of opportunities for wins as the close out the stretch.
The Griz have shown improvement over the last three weeks but are still trying to figure out ways to finish sets off. They had an early set point opportunity at Idaho State last week that could have given them momentum in the match that they weren't able to close out, and they went the distance with Weber State on Saturday but fell in sets four and five to drop a third straight match.
They have been highly competitive, but in order to make the tournament they are going to have to start swinging some of the close matches in their favor.
"There were so many good things that happened this last weekend," Lawrence said. "But again, set points where we didn't win sets, set points where we did, a really close Weber State game where we had a decent lead. We keep putting ourselves in positions to have a lot of success.
"Whether we're finding that success in the win column, it's not happening as often as it needs to, but what we're applying in practice, what we're learning, the way we're developing has all been really encouraging," Lawrence said. "I love showing up with the team every day and getting to work."
Over Montana's last six matches, they have lost three sets where they held at least a single set point. In two of those matches, they could have potentially had two sets to one leads if they converted the set point opportunities, and they ended up losing both.
The margins can be painfully slim in the game of volleyball, as Montana has learned this season. In that same six-match stretch, the Grizzlies are just 2-7 in sets decided by the minimum of two points.
All seven sets that they have lost by the minimum number of points have come in losses, including two sets against Weber State and two sets at Northern Arizona. If those results flip, the Grizzlies could be comfortably in the middle of the league standings.
"That's been a little bit of a head scratcher. The number of set points that we've had where we've ended up not winning the set has been really frustrating," Lawrence said. "It's been all about responding to those situations, getting more experience. I think the rage we all feel in those moments is because it's right there and we just have to do it. It's a one-point, two-point thing."
Montana now enters a week where, on paper, the results of both matches appear pretty clear going into it. But the Big Sky Conference is always full of surprises, and this week could start Montana's push to the postseason.
Lawrence and her team will be ready for anything in Utah on Halloween weekend.
"The Big Sky is crazy and I think anything can happen on any given night," Lawrence said. "I think we are still very much in control of our own destiny in terms of making the postseason and there are several teams close to where we are and lots that can still happen."
FOUR-MATCH GAUNTLET
Montana is in the midst of the most difficult four-match stretch you could have in the Big Sky Conference this season. It comes to an end Thursday night at Utah Tech, the second match in the last four against the undefeated Trailblazers.
They lost at second-place Idaho State and hosted 4th place Weber State during the stretch. They are all inside the top 126 in the latest RPI rankings.
SECOND HALF IMPROVEMENTS
Montana has improved in the back half of conference play five times in the first nine seasons under Coach Lawrence. The Grizzlies have improved by two-or-more wins on four of those occasions.
They will be seeking a similar turnaround in 2026 as they enter the second half of league play on the outside of the top eight in the league standings.
LAWRENCE CLOSES IN ON 100 WINS
Head coach Allison Lawrence is in her 10th season leading Montana and is closing in on a career milestone. Lawrence has 99 wins with Montana. She would become just the third coach in program history to reach 100 wins, joining Dick Scott (403) and Jerry Wagner (102).
Lawrence could move into second in program history for career wins this year with another 10-win season. Her teams have won at least 10 matches in each of the previous five seasons.
GRIZ SEEK FIRST ROAD WIN
Montana is 0-8 in true road matches this year. They have lost 10 straight road matches overall dating back to last season. The Grizzlies have found success away from Missoula, going 4-3 in neutral site matches, but are still seeking a true road win.
PLAYING ON HALLOWEEN
This is the 14th match played on Halloween in Montana program history. The Grizzlies are 8-5 on Oct. 31 with the most recent match coming in 2024. They lost 3-2 at Idaho State that year. Prior to that match, the Grizzlies hadn't played on Halloween since 2015.
CAGLE THRIVING IN ADJUSTED ROLE
Setter Gracie Cagle, a preseason All-Big Sky pick, has always been a good attacker for the setter position. She's taken that skill to new heights over the past couple of weeks as she has started swinging in a 6-2 rotation.
It led to a new career high in both kills (9) and attacks (27) against Weber State on Oct. 24. Still primarily serving as a setter, Cagle will also step outside for a rotation and get swings from the setting of Annika Wright.
MONTANA NOTES
- Annika Wright set a new career high with 26 assists vs. Weber State. Wright has recorded double-digit assists in seven straight matches, averaging over 4.1 assists per set during the stretch.
- Delaney Russell set her career high with 27 digs last Saturday against Weber State. Russell recorded her sixth double-double of the season with 15 kills and 27 digs.
- Alex Stone set new career highs vs. Weber State with 13 kills and two blocks. Her .333 hitting percentage was also a career best as she's continued to improve while starting the last five matches for the Griz.
- Montana has more service aces than its opponent in two-thirds of the matches this season.
- In the first nine years under Coach Lawrence, Montana went 24-50 in the first half of league play and 31-43 in the second half. They've improved or matched their record in the back half six times.
- UM leads the Big Sky in aces per set with 1.66 per set. They rank 78th nationally in the category.
- Madeline Sanderson's 30 digs were the most in a 3-set match in the NCAA since 9/20/25 when Alana Torres-Rivera of Houston recorded 30 against McNeese St.
- Montana recorded 65 digs at Northern Arizona. It's the most in a 3-set match by the Griz since 2024 when they had 66 vs. Montana State.
- Went five sets for just the second time this season vs. Weber State last Saturday, falling to 1-1 in 5-set matches.
- Five Grizzlies have played every set of the season. Delaney Russell, Josie Blazina, Gracie Cagle, Annika Wright, and Madeline Sanderson haven't missed a set.
- The Griz are 2-9 in the fourth set this season.
- Montana is 5-3 when hitting over .200, and 1-12 when held below .200.
- Montana is 2-4 at home this season. They are 0-8 in road contests and 4-3 in neutral site matches.
- In two-point sets, the Griz are 8-12 this year.
- UM has not won consecutive matches yet this season. They are 0-6 following a win.
- Montana is seeking its first road win of the season. They are 0-8 this year and have lost nine straight dating back to the last road win on Nov. 7, 2025 at Montana State.
- The Griz won their first four-set match of the season vs. Southern Utah on Oct. 15. They are 1-8 in four-set matches in 2026.
- The Griz hit over .300 for the first time this season with a .323 percentage in the sweep of Idaho on Oct. 3.
- Gracie Cagle's 7 service aces vs. EWU (10/1) were the most by a Big Sky player this season and tied for the 5th most in a single match by any player in program history.
- The program picked up all-time win number 700 on Oct. 3 against Idaho.
- When losing the first set, Montana is just 1-10 this season. The only time they have come from behind was on Sep. 5 vs. Cal Baptist.
SCOUTING UTAH TECH (17-3, 10-0 Big Sky)
- The Trailblazers enter the week on a 14-match winning streak that dates back to Sep. 6 when they last loss, a 3-1 match again LMU in Honolulu. They have won 10 straight sets overall.
- Head coach Camilla Hafoka is in her 6th season at Utah Tech. She has a 80-65 (.552) career record.
- They are 7-0 at home this season and have won 16 straight on their home floor dating back to last year.
- This is Utah Tech's first season in the Big Sky. They were picked 7th in the league's Preseason Coaches' Poll.
- They have won 10 matches in sweeps this season.
- Utah Tech leads the Big Sky in assists per set (12.24) and opponent hitting percentage (.154). They have a top 10 defense in the entire country, ranking 9th in the NCAA in opponent hitting percentage.
- They are also in the top three in the league in digs per set (15.77), kills per set (13.45) and hitting percentage (.234).
- They have seven players averaging at least 1.50 kills per set. Despite being near the top of the league in team kills, their top attacker (Nana Asiata) ranks 8th in the league at 2.93/set.
- Tessa Treanor ranks 2nd in the Big Sky with 0.44 service aces per set.
- Annalyse Shimada is 5th in the conference with 1.12 blocks per set.
- Marley Roe and Tehanie Waters run the offense for Utah Tech in a 6-2. Roe leads the team with 5.75 assists per set while Waters averages 4.34.
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE TRAILBLAZERS
This is the second meeting all-time between Montana and Utah Tech, both coming in the span of 12 days. The Trailblazers swept Montana in Missoula in the first meeting.
SCOUTING SOUTHERN UTAH (1-19, 0-10 Big Sky)
- The Thunderbirds have lost 11 straight matches, picking up just three seven wins during the losing streak. They have won at least one set in five straight matches.
- Head coach Danielle Jensen is in her second season at Southern Utah with a 4-40 (.100) record.
- SUU ranks last in the Big Sky in assists (9.42/set), digs (11.63/set), hitting percentage (.098), kills (10.28/set), and opponent hitting percentage (.249).
- The Thunderbirds swept Chicago St. on Sept. 18 for the only win of the season.
- They rank 335th out of 348 teams in the latest RPI Rankings.
- Maya Banks leads SUU with 2.02 kills per set. Audrey Atwood averages 2.02 and has been in double figures in four of the last five matches.
- Talea Berry leads the team with 4.18 assists per set.
- Natalie Moore averages 0.77 blocks per set to lead SUU. Zorana Stankovska leads the team in digs with 2.18 per set.
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE THUNDERBIRDS
Montana and Southern Utah have met 17 times with Montana leading the series 9-8. 15 of the meetings came when Southern Utah was a member of the Big Sky Conference previously from 2012-21.
The Thunderbirds lead the series 5-3 in Cedar City. Montana did win the last meeting in Cedar City 3-0 in 2021.
UP NEXT
Montana returns home for a big weekend against Northern Arizona and Portland State.
Players Mentioned
OH
/ Volleyball
S
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
DS
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
S
/ VolleyballTuesday, October 27
Tuesday, October 06
Monday, October 05
Tuesday, September 15
