ROCHESTER, Mich. – The Golden Grizzlies volleyball team heads west to Montana as they play in the Ellesyn Invitational in Missoula this weekend. Oakland will face Montana and North Dakota State Friday before a rematch with the Grizzlies Saturday afternoon.

OU looks to bounce back after an 0-3 start in Kalamazoo last weekend. The Golden Grizzlies dropped to WMU and Illinois State, but managed a five-set thriller against DePaul on Saturday. Despite the loss, Oakland outhit the Blue Demons with a .165 hitting clip.

Freshman Grace Cooney was named to the WMU All-Tournament list from her efforts in the middle of the weekend. The Hartland, Mich. native totaled up 23 kills with 6.0 blocks through the three matches. She eclipsed a team-high .389 hitting percentage with nine kills against Illinois State on Sunday.
 

FRIDAY, SEPT. 4
OPPONENT: Montana
TIME: 2:00 p.m. ET
LIVE STATS | TICKETS
LIVE STREAM: ESPN+


SATURDAY, SEPT. 5
OPPONENT: Montana
TIME: 7:00 p.m. ET
LIVE STATS | TICKETS
LIVE STREAM: ESPN+


SCOUTING THE GRIZZLIES
These two meetings are the first time between Montana and Oakland as they are the only Division I programs with Grizzly in their nickname. Montana was voted ninth in the Big Sky Preseason Poll under ninth-year head coach Allison Lawrence. 

The Grizzlies opened up their 2025 campaign 0-3 in Utah, falling in three sets, four sets, and five sets last weekend. A heavy blocking team, they averaged 2.75 blocks/set at the net through the first three matches which ranks second in the Big Sky.



SATURDAY, SEPT. 6
OPPONENT: North Dakota State
TIME: 2:00 p.m. ET
LIVE STATS | TICKETS
LIVE STREAM: ESPN+


SCOUTING THE BISON
Friday evening's match with the Bison will be OU and NDSU's first meeting since 2012, as the two were conference foes from 2007-12 in the Summit League. North Dakota State holds the all-time record at 12-2 not before the Golden Grizzlies topped the Bison in their last meeting, 3-1, in Fargo, N.D. 

NDSU went 3-0 last weekend as they swept OU's scheduled opponent, Bowling Green, last Friday at home. The Bison were picked to finish sixth in the Summit League Preseason Coaches' Poll and garnered 32 points.

How to Follow Oakland Volleyball: For complete information on Oakland Volleyball, follow the team on X at @OaklandWVB and head coach Krista Rice at @KKg1007. The team is also on Instagram.