MISSOULA — Conference play is officially underway for the Montana volleyball program. After a successful and challenging nonconference slate, the Grizzlies (5-8, 0-2 Big Sky) now into their Big Sky schedule, an area in which they've had success the past few years.
The Griz volleyball team went 5-6 in the nonconference season, but UM only had three home matches, with trips to Phoenix, North Dakota and Kansas City headlining 2024.
It was there the team was tested early.
"I feel like they prep us really well," UM senior outside hitter Paige Clark said. "We're really good away. I've noticed, like last year, like we won most away games. And that just shows that our nonconference really prepares us for it. So I think just like not having to be at home to be able to win a game. So I really like that."
Sprinkled in the nonconference slate was a road win over Oregon State, plus wins over Utah Valley and Southern Miss.
"I feel like we got a really good feel for this new team and the new players and everything, and I think it built a lot of confidence and like who we are as a team and what we can bring to conference, we're obviously very different from last year," UM senior outside hitter Maddie Kremer said.
"So kind of building off of what our strong suits. We're kind of developing like, what is new and what works well for us."
The Griz are two games into conference play, with losses to Big Sky leaders in Northern Colorado and Portland State, two opponents UM hung close with.
"I think beating the teams that we're meant to beat and seeing things that we don't see very often, like the Big Sky, you see things for every team that's different," Kremer said. "And I think that's what's so great about nonconference, is you see so many different things that prepares you."
"We're always the team that other teams are afraid to play," Clark said. "Like many coaches have said that we're like a wild card, and I think that's really going to prepare us for this season, that we're not the wild card, and we're always going to be a team people should be afraid of."
Led by a strong and veteran senior class, the Griz volleyball program has been resetting expectations the past few seasons.
Now it's about taking that next step.
"We have to get big wins and upsets in order to be in the conversation late in the conference tournament," UM head coach Allison Lawrence said. "And so that's where their sights are set. I think we've done a good job controlling and staying on top of the teams below us in conference, but this team wants more. They want to play in the NCAA tournament. They want to go for it."
