FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Nothing beats playing at home. For the first time in almost a month, the Northern Arizona volleyball team settled into their home at the Rolle Activity Center and they took care of business, getting back into the win column in four sets, 25-17, 25-22, 24-26, 25-19 against Idaho in their Big Sky home opener. The Lumberjacks were stout defensively recording 81 digs as a team and 11.0 blocks in improving to 2-1 in conference play and 12-4 overall.

"It was good for us to get ourselves back in control in the fourth set," said head coach Ken Murphy. "We started out strong and then we started giving up some points we normally wouldn't give up. We have a tough group and they fight. Everyone in that locker room knows we didn't play our sharpest match, but at the same time we respect that Idaho did some things to take us out of rhythm. We're good at realizing that we have room to improve and we'll be just hard enough on us to get better."

Five players recorded double-digit digs for NAU led by a career-high 18 from junior Jensen Barton. Senior Janae Vander Ploeg and junior Lauren Jacobsen each had 17 with Jacobsen equaling her career-best. Redshirt senior Stacia Williams added 13 and freshman Jordan Anderson recorded 12.

Redshirt freshman Brittni Dorsey became the first player other than senior Payton Bock to record nine blocks in a match this season, as she nearly doubled her previous career-high of five Thursday night. Five of her nine blocks came in the decisive fourth set.

Vander Ploeg led NAU's quick strike in the first set with eight kills on 15 swings, hitting .533 in the opening period. Four of her eight kills came during an 8-3 Lumberjack surge to start the night, before the Vandals closed to 17-15. An Idaho service error cut short any momentum the visitors had as NAU finished the set on an 8-2 run.

The Lumberjacks then took a 2-0 lead into the intermission, but the Vandals made them work for it. Idaho maintained a two-to-three point edge throughout the majority of the set until Bock and Barton combined for a block to cap a quick three-point NAU spurt to tie the score at 18-18. A ball handling error by the Vandals gave the 'Jacks their first lead of the set at 20-19, then Vander Ploeg and Dorsey each contributed a kill and a block to extend the home lead. Although the Vandals held off two set points, yet another kill from Vander Ploeg – her 14th of the night – finished the set off.

Senior Jordan Leiter staked the Lumberjacks a 5-3 lead in the third set at the service line, but six straight Idaho points completely turned the set on its side. Idaho controlled the set until 20-16 before NAU rattled off four straight points to tie it at 20-all. Barton found the back corner on a kill to put the 'Jacks at match point, 24-23, but the Vandals not only staved off the 25th point, they struck fast with the final three points to push the match to a fourth set.

Dorsey made sure the Vandals felt her presence early in the fourth set, sending a pair of attacks back during a 7-2 sprint off the blocks by NAU after dropping the third set. Idaho answered by slicing the Lumberjack lead to 8-7, but Vander Ploeg aced the Vandals twice during a 6-0 run in response. Holding their biggest lead of the night after a Bock kill at 19-10, the Lumberjacks had to hold off another Vandal five-point spurt before they regathered themselves with three straight blocks by Dorsey. Even down to match point, Idaho refused to go quietly into the night. On NAU's fourth match point, Dorsey found the court with her swing to send NAU into the night with a victory.

"A win is amazing, you can never go wrong with a win," Barton said. "But we're really focusing on our energy because when we play with energy, we play a lot better. When we did that tonight, it was nice to see."

Vander Ploeg wound up with 23 kills for her sixth 20-plus kill match of the season. Adding in her 17 digs, she notched her team-leading ninth double-double, along with three service aces and three blocks. Bock tied her season-high with 11 kills and hit .304. Dorsey hit .364 with five kills in what was an efficient night for NAU's middles.

Barton picked up her third double-double of the season with 44 assists to go along with her career-best dig total. She also notched five blocks, reaching the five-block plateau for the third time in as many conference matches.

NAU now heads to Cedar City, Utah to face Southern Utah on Saturday at 6 p.m. It will be the first of three straight road matches for the Lumberjacks before they return home next on Thursday, Oct. 15.