Bears Open Big Sky Play with Win Over Montana

Thursday, September 24

Greeley, Colo.

6 p.m. MT

University of Northern Colorado

5-7,1-0Big Sky

Montana

4-9,0-2Big Sky

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
Montana	16	25	17	22	1
Northern Colo.	25	22	25	25	3

Jesus Ayala | UNC Athletics

9/24/2026 8:42:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

By: Elian Soto, Assistant Director of Strategic Communications

GREELEY, Colo. - Northern Colorado volleyball opened Big Sky Conference play on a high note Thursday night, defeating Montana 3-1 (25-16, 22-25, 25-17, 25-22) at Bank of Colorado Arena.

The Bears improved to 5-7 overall and 1-0 in Big Sky play with the victory, while Montana dropped to 4-9 overall and 0-2 in conference action. Northern Colorado hit .380 as a team, recording 68 kills on 137 attacks.

Gillian Walton led the offensive attack with a new career-high 20 kills, hitting .359 on 39 attacks. The performance marked Walton's first 20-kill match of her career and helped the Bears control the match at the net.

Alayna Tessena added 16 kills while hitting .343, while Summer Snead finished with 10 kills on 19 attacks for a .421 hitting percentage. Maddie Rink chipped in seven kills, and Nerea Alvarez Jorge recorded six kills while directing the UNC offense with 43 assists.

Northern Colorado came out strong in the opening set, hitting .563 with 20 kills to take a 25-16 victory. Montana answered in the second, taking a 25-22 decision to even the match at one set apiece.

The Bears responded in the third set, hitting .429 and pulling away for a 25-17 win. UNC carried that momentum into the fourth, closing out the match with a 25-22 victory.

Defensively, Alvarez Jorge led the Bears with 20 digs, while Bella LePore added 17 digs. Walton finished with six digs, and the Bears totaled 66 digs as a team.

NOTES ABOUT THE BEARS

Thursday marked Northern Colorado's first Big Sky Conference win of the 2026 season.
Gillian Walton recorded a career-high 20 kills.
Walton hit .359 with 20 kills on 39 attacks.
Alayna Tessena finished with 16 kills and hit .343.
Summer Snead posted 10 kills while hitting .421.
Nerea Alvarez Jorge recorded 43 assists and 20 digs for a double-double.
With the win, the Bears extend their win streak over Montana to 23 straight.
UNC hit .380 as a team, its strongest hitting percentage of the match coming in the first set at .563.

ON DECK: Northern Colorado continues Big Sky Conference play Saturday, Sept. 26, welcoming Montana State to Bank of Colorado Arena for a 12 p.m. MT first serve. Saturday's match will also serve as Homecoming and Alumni Day as the Bears continue conference action at home.

BEAR ATTACKERS CLUB: The Bear Attackers Club plays a vital role in the success of UNC Volleyball. Contributions enhance the overall student-athlete experience by providing elevated nutrition, high-quality equipment, and travel opportunities that support competitive performances throughout the season. These investments directly empower our student-athletes as they prepare for every match, ensuring the Bears are equipped to perform at their best.

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