The Idaho Vandals played their first of two straight games on the road. The Grizzles entered the night 5-10 while the UI came in 1-12, both teams were still winless in Big Sky conference play.
From the get-go the Grizzlies were hot, getting the first four points of the match and then taking a 7-1 lead before UI called its first timeout. It helped a little bit because the Vandals would then score the next two points. Montana scored a few more from there but so did UI, each team also committed a couple serving errors. The Vandals pulled back to within six later, when it was 22-16 but the Grizzlies were able to close out the opening set 25-18.
Vandals began the second set scoring the first point but then the Grizzlies would get the next four. UI got a couple more afterwards even winning a challenge for one of those points originally given to Montana making it 4-3 early. That unfortunately would be the closet score in the set as the Grizzlies dominated from there, going on a 21-7 run to win set two 25-10.
The third and what would be final set began like the first in which Montana jumped out to a 7-1 lead before the Vandals took a timeout. It wasn’t as beneficial as Montana scored three more before UI got their second point. It went a little back and forth from there and the Vandals got to within five late when it was 22-17 but Montana held their ground and completed the sweep, taking the third set 25-18. Sierra Dennison landed the final kill.
Paige Clark led the Grizzlies in kills with eight and Zuzanna Wieczorek lead Idaho with 10. Madu Fontes and Casi Newman each lead their squad in aces with three apiece. The two will meet again in Moscow on November 9, which is also senior Night for the Vandals. The game starts in the Memorial Gymnasium at 6 p.m. It can be streamed on ESPN+.
UI falls to 1-13 on the year still looking for their first conference win. They go from Missoula to Bozeman for a matchup against the Montana State Bobcats. First serve is on Saturday at 12 p.m. The first of two sporting events between the two schools as the football teams will battle about seven hours later.
You can reach Jackson Hamelund at [email protected]