Griz fall in season finale - University of Montana Athletics

Thursday, November 5

Missoula, Mont.

1 PM

Montana

3-13-1, 1-7-1BSC

Portland State

4-13-1, 2-6-1BSC

Team	1	2	Final F
Portland State	1	0	1
Montana	0	0	0

Montana lost to Portland State 0-1 on Nov. 5, 2026 in Missoula, Montana.

Photo by: Tommy Martino/ University of Montana

11/5/2026 7:35:00 PM | Soccer

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Montana Sports Information

The Montana soccer team dropped its final match of the season on Thursday afternoon, falling 1-0 to Portland State at South Campus Stadium in Missoula.

The Vikings scored the game-winning goal in the 34th minute as former Griz Kendel Johnson notched her first of the season off a pass from Aliayha Saldana.

The Grizzlies conclude the season with a record of 3-13-1 and finish 10th in the Big Sky Conference with a 1-7-1 league mark.

In a game that was as balanced as could be, the difference came down to Portland State (4-13-1, 2-6-1 BSC) capitalizing in one of the match's key moments.

Both teams took 19 shots, the Vikings putting 10 on goal, the Grizzlies eight. Montana created nine corner kicks, Portland State eight.

A Montana goal kick to near midfield in the 34th minute was headed to ground by a Viking and Portland State gained possession and quickly flipped the field, creating a 3-on-3 situation.

Saldana drove up the middle of the field, pulling defenders toward her, which freed up Johnson on the right side.

Johnson got the pass, took one touch and left-footed the game-winning shot past Montana goalkeeper Jill Miliffe, who was making her second career start.

Most of Montana's best chances came off corner kicks.

In the 17th minute, Grace Olson headed a corner kick that skimmed off the crossbar. Olson's header in the 36th minute was arching toward the goal before it was headed off the line by a PSU defender.

Josephine Frischknecht had two quality headers off corner kicks in the second half and had a drive from 30 yards out in the 87th minute that needed a diving save to keep it out of goal.

Finley Crabtree finished with seven saves for Portland State, while Miliffe, whose previous start this season came at Washington, had nine.

The Big Sky Conference Championship will be held next week at South Campus Stadium, with Weber State and Northern Colorado earning the tournament's top two seeds.

Northern Arizona (3), Idaho (4), Utah Tech (5) and Idaho State (6) round out the field.

Quarterfinals will be played on Wednesday, semifinals on Friday, Nov. 13, the championship match on Sunday, Nov. 15.