Thursday, August 13
Missoula, Mont.
5 PM
Montana
0-1-0
0
vs
1
Bucknell
1-0-0
| Team | 1 | 2 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bucknell | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Montana | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Photo by: Ryan Brennecke
Griz fall to Bison in season opener
8/13/2026 8:52:00 PM | Soccer
Bucknell scored the opening goal in the 15th minute and Ingrid Murphy's strike from 20 yards out proved to be the game-winner as the Bison defeated the Montana soccer team 1-0 at South Campus Stadium on Thursday afternoon in Missoula.
It was the season opener for both teams, with an experienced Bucknell squad handing a young and mostly new Montana team a loss in coach Stuart Gore's first match leading the Grizzlies.
The game-winning goal came when Bucknell forced Montana into a turnover in its own end, which the Bison turned into a quick throw-in that Gaby Parker touched to Murphy. The freshman from New York scored inside the left post past a diving Avery Heeb, who went the distance in goal in her Grizzly debut.
"We've got to deal with teams pressing us," said Gore, who started six players who are new to the Montana roster in 2026. "We didn't deal well with that. We've got to do better with teams high-pressing and getting in our face and making life difficult."
Montana answered with its best chance of the first half less than three minutes later.
A long drive from Lucie Rokos was stopped but fumbled by Bucknell goalkeeper Sarah McFarland. Ellen Hampton was there for the rebound, but her shot was swallowed up by McFarland for what would be her only two saves of the match.
Megan Wilson-Sofield had some crafty, high-level touches that were a sign of things to come, and the first half ended with Bucknell out-shooting Montana 5-4.
The Bison largely controlled the second-half action, keeping the Grizzlies without a shot through the first 40 minutes.
"I thought we were much cleaner in the first half," added Gore. "The second half, the game got stretched and that didn't help us. We were so disconnected. Our lines were stretched and we couldn't get high enough quick enough."
Montana's lone second-half shot nearly tied the score. Freshman Grace Morton turned and fired from 35 yards out, her shot skimming off the top of the crossbar in the 88th minute.
Bucknell would finish with a 14-5 advantage in shots, a 5-2 edge in corner kicks. Heeb and McFarland both made two saves.
Wilson-Sofield, Lucie Rokos, Ellen Hampton and freshman Josephine Frischknecht all played 90 minutes, with Gore going seven players deep from his bench.
The match drew a crowd of 648, the third-largest home-opening draw in program history, and that did not include the Griz football team, which ended its own practice by filling the Montana sideline for 10 minutes of the soccer team's warm-ups, all while chanting and cheering. The moment: electric.
"It was a great environment. Great fans. That really helped us," said Gore. "It was great to warm up and have the football team come over. That was amazing. That shows you the type of man (football coach) Bobby Kennedy is."
Montana won't play again until next week when the Grizzlies play matches at Seattle and Washington.
It was the season opener for both teams, with an experienced Bucknell squad handing a young and mostly new Montana team a loss in coach Stuart Gore's first match leading the Grizzlies.
The game-winning goal came when Bucknell forced Montana into a turnover in its own end, which the Bison turned into a quick throw-in that Gaby Parker touched to Murphy. The freshman from New York scored inside the left post past a diving Avery Heeb, who went the distance in goal in her Grizzly debut.
"We've got to deal with teams pressing us," said Gore, who started six players who are new to the Montana roster in 2026. "We didn't deal well with that. We've got to do better with teams high-pressing and getting in our face and making life difficult."
Montana answered with its best chance of the first half less than three minutes later.
A long drive from Lucie Rokos was stopped but fumbled by Bucknell goalkeeper Sarah McFarland. Ellen Hampton was there for the rebound, but her shot was swallowed up by McFarland for what would be her only two saves of the match.
Megan Wilson-Sofield had some crafty, high-level touches that were a sign of things to come, and the first half ended with Bucknell out-shooting Montana 5-4.
The Bison largely controlled the second-half action, keeping the Grizzlies without a shot through the first 40 minutes.
"I thought we were much cleaner in the first half," added Gore. "The second half, the game got stretched and that didn't help us. We were so disconnected. Our lines were stretched and we couldn't get high enough quick enough."
Montana's lone second-half shot nearly tied the score. Freshman Grace Morton turned and fired from 35 yards out, her shot skimming off the top of the crossbar in the 88th minute.
Bucknell would finish with a 14-5 advantage in shots, a 5-2 edge in corner kicks. Heeb and McFarland both made two saves.
Wilson-Sofield, Lucie Rokos, Ellen Hampton and freshman Josephine Frischknecht all played 90 minutes, with Gore going seven players deep from his bench.
The match drew a crowd of 648, the third-largest home-opening draw in program history, and that did not include the Griz football team, which ended its own practice by filling the Montana sideline for 10 minutes of the soccer team's warm-ups, all while chanting and cheering. The moment: electric.
"It was a great environment. Great fans. That really helped us," said Gore. "It was great to warm up and have the football team come over. That was amazing. That shows you the type of man (football coach) Bobby Kennedy is."
Montana won't play again until next week when the Grizzlies play matches at Seattle and Washington.
Players Mentioned
D
/ Soccer
D
/ Soccer
G
/ Soccer
M
/ Soccer
D
/ Soccer
F
/ SoccerTeam Stats
BU
UM
Goals
1
0
Shots
14
5
Shots on Goal
3
2
Saves
2
2
Corners
5
2
Fouls
8
5
Scoring Plays
Murphy, Ingrid (1)
Assisted By: Parker, Gaby
GOAL by BU Murphy, Ingrid (FIRST GOAL), Assist by Parker, Gaby, goal number 1 for season.
14:10
Game Leaders
Shots
1
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
0
Monday, August 10
Monday, August 03
Friday, June 19
Thursday, June 04
