Thursday, November 5
Missoula, Mont.
7:00 PM
Montana
vs
Northern Arizona
Photo by: Jacob Piapot/University of Montana
11/4/2026 12:17:00 PM | Volleyball
MONTANA (7-16, 3-9 Big Sky) vs. NORTHERN ARIZONA (15-9, 8-4 Big Sky)
Nov. 5 / 7:00 PM / Watch / Live Stats / Tickets
MONTANA vs. PORTLAND STATE (11-12, 7-5 Big Sky)
Nov. 7 / 7:00 PM / Watch / Live Stats / Tickets
SENIOR DAY CELEBRATION
Montana will honor Olivia Liermann and Halle Walker with a senior day celebration prior to Saturday night's match against Portland State.
Liermann has been a crucial member of the Montana program the last four years. The highlight of her career came at Eastern Washington two years ago when Liermann subbed into the match and recorded the winning service ace in the final set.
Walker's role expanded this year as she has appeared in 10 matches for Montana, bolstering the Grizzlies' back row defense. She will be graduating this December after three years on campus.
The two have left their mark on the culture and consistency of the Montana program in time on campus.
PREVIEW
The regular season is drawing to an end for Montana volleyball but there is plenty on the line as they return home this week to host Northern Arizona and Portland State. There are just three weeks left in the regular season, giving Montana six more chances to make a push toward the postseason.
It starts inside Dahlberg Arena this weekend against two teams that are riding high entering the matchup. The Grizzlies will bring momentum of their own following a sweep of Southern Utah on Halloween night.
The matches will be streamed live on ESPN+ with Ace Sauerwein on the call. Both matches begin at 7:00 p.m. with the Lumberjacks in town Thursday and Vikings in Missoula on Saturday.
Montana will be looking for some revenge after falling to both teams on the road earlier this season. The Griz lost 3-1 at Portland State and were swept at Northern Arizona with both matches much closer than the final score appeared.
The Grizzlies had a set point opportunity in the first set at PSU and won the third set, but the Vikings came back in the first and closed out sets two and four for the win.
In Flagstaff, Montana pushed the Lumberjacks to the brink twice, losing two sets by the minimum of two points.
One big difference for Montana this time around is the inclusion of Sydney Pierce in the lineup. The middle blocker missed both road matches but has returned to the floor since and is coming off arguably her best match of the season last Saturday with eight kills on .412 hitting at Southern Utah.
The Grizzlies enter the week tied for 8th place in the league with eight teams qualifying for the Big Sky Conference Tournament later this month in Flagstaff. It's shaping up to be a battle for the final spot with Idaho and Eastern Washington joining Montana at 3-9 in conference play.
Montana will have a chance to play both teams on the road next week. The two sides play Northern Colorado, currently tied for second, this week while also playing each other, guaranteeing that Montana will need to win at least one match this week to remain in at least a tie for the final spot.
Northern Arizona and Portland State have plenty to play for as well in a tightly packed Big Sky Conference. The Lumberjacks are currently tied for 2nd at 8-4 in league play. Portland State is tied for 5th at 7-5. There are six total teams within a game of each other with three weeks left to play.
A good weekend on the Montana road trip for either team could put them in 2nd place with two weeks to go. A bad weekend could drop them all the way to 7th.
The action begins on Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. inside Dahlberg Arena
LAWRENCE HITS THE CENTURY MARK
Head coach Allison Lawrence became the third person in program history to win 100 matches when the Grizzlies swept Southern Utah on Halloween night. Lawrence joins Dick Scott (403) and Jerry Wagner (102) in the 100-win club at Montana.
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. They were 2-7 at the midway point this year.
GRIZ GET FIRST ROAD WIN
Montana started the season 0-9 on the road but picked up a win in a true road contest at Southern Utah to get on the board in that category. Now, the Griz will look to buck another trend that has haunted them this season.
The Grizzlies are 0-6 following a win so far this year. They will look to win back-to-back matches for the first time this year when they face the Lumberjacks on Thursday night.
MONTANA NOTES
SCOUTING NORTHERN ARIZONA (15-9, 8-4 BIG SKY)
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE LUMBERJACKS
Northern Arizona leads the all-time series 40-37 over Montana. Montana has a 20-15 edge in the series in matches played in Missoula.
The Griz have won three straight at home against the Lumberjacks and the two sides have split the previous eight meetings overall.
SCOTING PORTLAND STATE (11-12, 7-5 BIG SKY)
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE VIKINGS
Portland State leads the all-time series with Montana 66-21. The Vikings also have a slight advantage in Missoula with a 16-15 record against the Griz.
PSU's win earlier this season snapped a two-game winning streak for Montana in the series. The Grizzlies have won the last three meetings in Missoula in the series by a combined 9-1 score.
Nov. 5 / 7:00 PM / Watch / Live Stats / Tickets
MONTANA vs. PORTLAND STATE (11-12, 7-5 Big Sky)
Nov. 7 / 7:00 PM / Watch / Live Stats / Tickets
SENIOR DAY CELEBRATION
Montana will honor Olivia Liermann and Halle Walker with a senior day celebration prior to Saturday night's match against Portland State.
Liermann has been a crucial member of the Montana program the last four years. The highlight of her career came at Eastern Washington two years ago when Liermann subbed into the match and recorded the winning service ace in the final set.
Walker's role expanded this year as she has appeared in 10 matches for Montana, bolstering the Grizzlies' back row defense. She will be graduating this December after three years on campus.
The two have left their mark on the culture and consistency of the Montana program in time on campus.
PREVIEW
The regular season is drawing to an end for Montana volleyball but there is plenty on the line as they return home this week to host Northern Arizona and Portland State. There are just three weeks left in the regular season, giving Montana six more chances to make a push toward the postseason.
It starts inside Dahlberg Arena this weekend against two teams that are riding high entering the matchup. The Grizzlies will bring momentum of their own following a sweep of Southern Utah on Halloween night.
The matches will be streamed live on ESPN+ with Ace Sauerwein on the call. Both matches begin at 7:00 p.m. with the Lumberjacks in town Thursday and Vikings in Missoula on Saturday.
Montana will be looking for some revenge after falling to both teams on the road earlier this season. The Griz lost 3-1 at Portland State and were swept at Northern Arizona with both matches much closer than the final score appeared.
The Grizzlies had a set point opportunity in the first set at PSU and won the third set, but the Vikings came back in the first and closed out sets two and four for the win.
In Flagstaff, Montana pushed the Lumberjacks to the brink twice, losing two sets by the minimum of two points.
One big difference for Montana this time around is the inclusion of Sydney Pierce in the lineup. The middle blocker missed both road matches but has returned to the floor since and is coming off arguably her best match of the season last Saturday with eight kills on .412 hitting at Southern Utah.
The Grizzlies enter the week tied for 8th place in the league with eight teams qualifying for the Big Sky Conference Tournament later this month in Flagstaff. It's shaping up to be a battle for the final spot with Idaho and Eastern Washington joining Montana at 3-9 in conference play.
Montana will have a chance to play both teams on the road next week. The two sides play Northern Colorado, currently tied for second, this week while also playing each other, guaranteeing that Montana will need to win at least one match this week to remain in at least a tie for the final spot.
Northern Arizona and Portland State have plenty to play for as well in a tightly packed Big Sky Conference. The Lumberjacks are currently tied for 2nd at 8-4 in league play. Portland State is tied for 5th at 7-5. There are six total teams within a game of each other with three weeks left to play.
A good weekend on the Montana road trip for either team could put them in 2nd place with two weeks to go. A bad weekend could drop them all the way to 7th.
The action begins on Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. inside Dahlberg Arena
LAWRENCE HITS THE CENTURY MARK
Head coach Allison Lawrence became the third person in program history to win 100 matches when the Grizzlies swept Southern Utah on Halloween night. Lawrence joins Dick Scott (403) and Jerry Wagner (102) in the 100-win club at Montana.
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. They were 2-7 at the midway point this year.
GRIZ GET FIRST ROAD WIN
Montana started the season 0-9 on the road but picked up a win in a true road contest at Southern Utah to get on the board in that category. Now, the Griz will look to buck another trend that has haunted them this season.
The Grizzlies are 0-6 following a win so far this year. They will look to win back-to-back matches for the first time this year when they face the Lumberjacks on Thursday night.
MONTANA NOTES
- More than half of Montana's matches this year have ended in sweeps. The Grizzlies are 5-7 in three-set matches. They are 1-8 in four-set matches and 1-1 when it goes all five.
- 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 has not won consecutive matches yet this season. They are 0-6 following a win. They try for a winning streak
- UM ranks 2nd in the Big Sky in aces per set with 1.57 per set.
- In two-point sets, the Griz are 10-12 this year.
- The Griz are 6-4 when hitting over .200 this year and have done so in consecutive matches, hitting .224 at Utah Tech and .279 at Southern Utah.
- When losing the first set, Montana is just 1-11 this season. The only time they have come from behind was on Sep. 5 vs. Cal Baptist.
- UM is 6-1 when committing fewer attacking errors than their opponent.
- Alex Stone has 10+ kills in three straight matches for Montana. She has reached the 10-kill mark five times in the last seven matches after never having a 10-kill match prior to this stretch.
- 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.
- The Griz are 2-9 in the fourth set this season.
- 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.
- Montana has more service aces than its opponent in two-thirds of the matches this season.
- 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.
- 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.
SCOUTING NORTHERN ARIZONA (15-9, 8-4 BIG SKY)
- The Lumberjacks have won two straight, sweeping both Idaho and Eastern Washington at home last weekend. Northern Arizona has won five of its last seven matches overall.
- Head coach Ken Murphy is 238-155 in his 14 seasons at Northern Arizona.
- Northern Arizona is tied for second in the league standings at 8-4.
- They are 3-5 away from home this season.
- NAU holds opponents to just .152 hitting, which is 11th in the entire country and second in the Big Sky this season.
- The Lumberjacks are top 25 in the nation in digs, averaging 16.09 per set. They are also among the nation's elite in blocks, averaging nearly 2.5 per set to rank 51st in the country.
- Hannah Stoddard ranks 2nd in the entire country in attacks per set with 13.10. The Big Sky Conference actually has the top two attackers in the NCAA this season as Eastern Washington's Kalista Lukovich leads the country with 13.22.
- Stoddard is averaging 3.71 kills per set to also rank second in the league to Lukovich. With Eastern's star out with an injury, Stoddard is the conference's active leader in kills.
- Gigi Greenlee ranks second in the Big Sky in blocks with 1.26 per set. Her 116 total blocks this year are the 18th most in the NCAA. Greenlee also ranks 5th in the league with a .349 hitting percentage.
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE LUMBERJACKS
Northern Arizona leads the all-time series 40-37 over Montana. Montana has a 20-15 edge in the series in matches played in Missoula.
The Griz have won three straight at home against the Lumberjacks and the two sides have split the previous eight meetings overall.
SCOTING PORTLAND STATE (11-12, 7-5 BIG SKY)
- The Vikings have the second longest winning streak in the league, trailing only Utah Tech's impressive 16-match run. PSU has won five straight matches to jump into a tie for 5th place in the league standings.
- Head coach Michael Seeman recently picked up his 300th career win at PSU. He has a 304-270 overall record in 20 seasons with the Vikings. Seeman was an assistant coach at Oregon State during Allison Lawrence's playing days.
- Portland State has won two straight road matches, beating Northern Arizona and Eastern Washington, but are still just 2-9 on the road this season.
- PSU leads the conference in service aces, passing Montana last weekend with an average of 1.61 per set. They are inside the top 100 nationally in the category.
- The Vikings are 9th in the Big Sky in hitting percentage (.174) and 6th in opponent hitting percentage (.200).
- Reese Biesemeyer ranks 5th in the Big Sky in blocks per set with 1.03.
- Ava Blascziek is 3rd in the league in service aces with 0.39 per set. Blascziek was named Big Sky Player of the Week on Nov. 2 after registering 64 assists in two wins.
- Jessica Truong is 8th in the conference with 3.77 digs per set.
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE VIKINGS
Portland State leads the all-time series with Montana 66-21. The Vikings also have a slight advantage in Missoula with a 16-15 record against the Griz.
PSU's win earlier this season snapped a two-game winning streak for Montana in the series. The Grizzlies have won the last three meetings in Missoula in the series by a combined 9-1 score.
Players Mentioned
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