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OGDEN, Utah - The University of Montana soccer team's season came to a sudden end Thursday afternoon when the Grizzlies fell 1-0 to top-seeded Weber State in the semifinals of the Big Sky Conference tournament.

Whitney Smith scored her sixth goal of the season, banging a shot into the upper right-hand corner past Montana goalkeeper Grace Harris in the 17th minute for the lone tally of the match. Molli Nelson assisted on the score.

“It was a good performance by Weber State today,” Montana coach Neil Sedgwick said. “They scored on a quality goal. (Smith) got the ball about 22 yards out and put a good shot into the upper right-hand corner.”

The win advanced the Wildcats (9-9-2) to the Big Sky title match, scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday. Weber State, playing in the championship for the first time since 2005, will face third-seed Northern Arizona for a berth in the NCAA Women's College Cup. Northern Arizona downed Portland State 1-0 in the other semifinal.

Weber State held a 17-8 advantage on shots and earned four corner kicks to just one for the Grizzlies.

“You have to give Montana credit that we didn't score more in the first half, because we had our chances,” Weber State coach Tim Crompton said in a press release. “They came out in the second half and tried to make us make a mistake and to capitalize on it. We were able to bend but not break in the back.”

League Defensive Player of the Year Rebecca Ritchie, the Wildcat goalkeeper, made four saves to earn the shutout, her second of the season against Montana. Weber State downed the Grizzlies 1-0 on Oct. 9.

The Grizzlies were credited with four shots on goal, two from sophomore All-Big Sky forward Kaitlyn Heinsohn. Freshman forward Brandee Marone and junior defender Abby Grafft accounted for Montana's other shots on target.

“Rebecca Ritchie made a couple of nice saves,” Crompton said. “In the end it's a game of inches.”

Harris made seven saves for Montana, which wrapped up the season 6-11-2.

“I thought it was a courageous effort from the girls,” Sedgwick said. “They played well and with a purpose. Considering we were without Sara Campbell for the entire match and Meghan Chambers for the final 55 minutes and with (Heinsohn) not 100 percent, I was proud of their determination.

“The team came a long way this season. We fielded a young team today, and they showed just how far they've come. It was a pleasure to coach them this year. They stuck with it through thick and thin.”

Montana 0 0 - 0

Weber State 1 0 - 1

WSU - Whitney Smith (Molli Neilson), 16:19

Shots - Montana 7, Weber State 18. Saves - Montana 7 (Grace Harris), Weber State 4 (Rebecca Ritchie). Corner kicks - Montana 1, Weber State 4. Total fouls - Montana 7, Weber State 9. Yellow cards - none. Red cards - none.

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