MISSOULA, Mont. – The Gonzaga volleyball team force five sets at Montana after falling behind 0-2 early in the match, but the Griz ultimately prevailed for the 3-2 win (25-20, 25-20, 16-25, 11-25, 17-15) at Dahlberg Arena Saturday afternoon.
 
Gonzaga (0-5) was led by sophomore outside hitter Chapin Gray with a career-high 17 kills off 35 attempts with just three errors to hit .400. Sophomore outside hitter Sarah Penner also reached double-figure kills with 13; sophomore setter Mary Marzo added a career-high 47 assists to go along with eight digs.
 
Gonzaga (0-5) dropped the first two sets to Montana (1-4) and faced an 0-2 match deficit for only the second time this season. The Bulldogs responded, hitting a combined .365 for 25 kills in the next two sets to roll past the Griz 25-16 and 25-11 in the third and fourth sets and even the match 2-2.
 
In the fifth and final set, neither squad led by more than two points as the Bulldogs connected for nine kills hitting at a .318 clip while the Griz finished with 12 kills hitting .333. Gonzaga opened the match with a 2-0 lead following back-to-back Montana hitting errors, and the Zags maintained a two-point lead (9-7) off a kill from Gray. Yet four-straight points put the Griz in front 11-9.
 
The Bulldogs once more gained the lead (14-13) off a Montana attacking error, but a 4-1 run in favor of the Griz gave Montana the 17-15 set win and 3-2 match victory.
 
Montana was led by Missy Huddleston with a match-high 24 kills to go along with nine digs while Ashley Watkins added a match-high 51 assists.
 
Gonzaga is back in action Friday, Sept. 7 against California at 12:30 p.m. followed by Fresno State at 5 p.m. in the first day of the Les Schwab West Coast Classic, hosted by Portland State in Portland, Ore.