Box score

The University of Montana women’s soccer team pulled out a necessary 1-0 win Sunday in Greeley, Colorado against the Northern Colorado Bears. Montana was able to force a defensive goal by the Bears, whick resulted after a bouncing free kick by Grizzly defender Abby Grafft.

The match Sunday afternoon between Montana (4-13-1, BSC 2-3-1) and Northern Colorado (5-10-1,BSC 1-5-0) was to establish which program would retain the dubious honor of worst team in the Big Sky for the week of October 26, and potentially elevate one team into striking distance of the Big Sky Tournament. In the end, the Grizzlies were victorious, and Northern Colorado, with only one Big Sky game remaining, has locked itself into one of the last two spots in the Big Sky for the season.

Though the greater Big Sky picture was looking bleak for the Montana after Friday’s loss to Northern Arizona, a win by the Lumberjacks Sunday has set the NAU team at No. 2, while dropping Eastern Washington to within striking distance of the Grizzlies.

Portland State solidified its place in the Big Sky tournament, with 13 points this week. Sacramento has 12 points while Eastern Washington and Sacramento State both have 10. 

Montana will need some help as No. 5 Idaho State, with 9 points, must lose to Weber State Saturday in order for the Grizzlies to remain in the hunt. If the Grizzlies (seven points) win against EWU, they will retain the tiebreaker with the Eagles, sliding into the number four place in the Big Sky.    

To date, the Grizzlies have been outshot nearly 3-1 by opposing teams. Sunday’s match was no different as the Grizzlies were outshot 21-7 by Northern Colorado, making it the 17^th time that Montana had been statistically outshot by an opponent this season. Grizzlies again relied upon a potent shot-on-goal percentage to pull off a win against the Bears.

Following play Sunday, UM Coach Neil Sedgwick said, “We came out with a good start today, doing a good job on the attack throughout the match. Fortunately, we were able to keep the pressure on in the Northern Colorado danger zone enough to force a goal, if a defensive one.

“When our players get a shot off near the goal, it is typically guaranteed to be a good one. Often other teams shoot from a distance, which can pad that specific statistic. When we get a shot off, it is usually near to our opponent’s goal, inside of 18 yards.”

Montana plays Eastern Washington in Missoula Friday at 4 p.m.