(Editor's note: University of Montana media release)
MISSOULA — After Montana opened its road trip with a commanding 2-1 win at Idaho on Friday night, the Grizzlies made it a sweep with an equally impressive 2-0 win at Eastern Washington on Sunday afternoon.
Skyleigh Thompson scored twice, Montana out-shot the Eagles 19-4, and the defense, which can still be salty even with a change in team philosophy, didn’t allow a shot until the 63rd minute.
The wins helped Montana sweep this week’s Big Sky Conference Player of the Week honors.
Taylor Stoeger, who scored twice in the second half in Friday’s comeback win and probably should have been credited with an assist on Sunday, was named the Offensive Player of the Week.
It marks the second time this season Stoeger has been named the Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week.
It was Stoeger’s third two-goal match in three seasons as a Grizzly and gave her the team lead in points with 11, on four goals and three assists.
Camellia Xu was named the Defensive Player of the Week for the fifth time this season.
After giving up a goal at 3:06 on Friday, Xu blanked Idaho and Eastern Washington over the next 177 minutes. She finished the road trip with four saves while facing 11 shots.
Sunday’s shutout at Eastern Washington was her ninth of the season, which has her tied for the national lead. Her save percentage of .868 ranks 16th, her goals-against average of 0.62 ranks 25th.
Entering the final weekend of the regular season, Xu is one shutout shy of the single-season program record of 10, set by Kristen Hoon in 2012 and matched by Claire Howard in 2018.
Montana (9-5-1, 5-1-1 BSC) will host Weber State (9-6-0, 6-1-0 BSC) on Friday at 3 p.m., Idaho State (2-14-1, 2-5-0 BSC) at 1 p.m. on Sunday at South Campus Stadium.
The Grizzlies are still in contention to win the Big Sky regular-season championship, which would be Montana’s third consecutive.
