Crowd & Rivalry Aid UM Win

The Montana Grizzlies defeated Montana State University Bobcats in four sets in front of a packed gymnasium on Oct. 21. This marks 33 years of Cat/Griz volleyball.

Though this volleyball rival is not as big as the football tradition, dating back to 1893, the fans arrived in full-force to support the grizzlies. The original rivalry was between only the football teams, but it has become a large part of all sports now.

Staffers had to turn some people away. Tavia Kohles, a University of Montana student who attended the game, feels the crowd contributed to the win, “I have never seen the gym so packed before. And I have never heard it so loud."

A home crowd can be a big factor for teams, especially in such a highly anticipated match-up.

“We couldn’t do it without Griz Nation,” senior Kayla Reno tells GoGriz in a postgame interview. “I mean our stands were packed.”

Reno continues to lead with her exceptional play from the Sacramento State game Friday night where she had 17 kills at .486.

Cat/Griz hype can motivate players to play exceptionally well. Statistically Montana beat Montana State in every category. Especially impressive were the Grizzly’s blocking. With 16 on the night, Montana doubled the Cats only 8. Kelsey Schile, junior for the University of Montana, further proved this. 

Schile tied with Reno for top kills with 17 apiece, but added also 8 blocks for her team. She was previously averaging 2.2 kills per set throughout the 2013 season, but managed 4.5 against the Cats.

“I really like the way Kesley’s been playing,” Montana Coach Jerry Wagner said. “She’s been playing very well for a month now.”

This win boosted the Grizzlies to a 6-4 record in conference play. This match marks the halfway point through the season for Montana’s conference play. The win keeps them at fifth place in the Big Sky Conference, just high enough to qualify for tournament play if the season ended now. 

“We’re all super excited about it,” Schile told the Missoulian of the rivalry win. “We knew we just had to come out here, get ready and take care of business. Now I’m just waiting to celebrate this win.” 

Reactions of fans was what was to be expected, including a brief article written by the Montana State University on the university’s website. Disgruntled fans tweeted and posted angry statuses on Facebook.

Montana State’s key player, freshman Kennadie Clute, struggled with 14 kill errors accompanying her 18 kills. It was her first time playing in Montana’s biggest rival and nerves could have been a contributing factor to her performance.

The volleyball teams will meet again in Bozeman on Nov. 25 to complete the season before the Big Sky Tournament. The Grizzly team will have to overcome the Cat's crowd in order to defeat them and put them one up in overall Cat/Griz volleyball, with a current record split with 51 wins each.