Photo Courtesy of Dean Hendrickson

BOZEMAN, Mont. – Saturday morning's match in Shroyer Gym was a matinee matchup between the Northern Arizona volleyball team and Montana State. While it may have been an early first serve, it was not early enough for the Lumberjack block party to continue through Bozeman. In what turned out to be a record breaking day for senior Payton Bock, NAU (15-4, 5-1 Big Sky) matched its season-high four match win streak with a 25-20, 25-23, 25-20 victory.

Bock matched her career-high of 10 blocks, recording her third career 10-block match and the first time she has done it in less than four sets. Needing just two to break Lisa Wylie's 23-year old school record for total blocks, Bock notched it on the point that gave NAU an 11-9 lead in the first set. She ended the day with 482 career blocks, nine more than Wylie.

"It's a huge accomplishment and getting the win is even better," Bock said. "Having a record is really cool, but I just want to win. If I can help us reach the end goal of winning championship, that's what it's about. I couldn't be where I am without my teammates, my coaches and my parents because they've all pushed and supported me."

Less than 48 hours after an outstanding block performance against Montana, the Lumberjacks – led by Bock and junior Jensen Barton – were poised to outstage themselves from the opening serve Saturday morning. After seeing the Bobcats spring forward with a 9-6 lead to start the match, Bock and Barton recorded two blocks during a 5-0 run that shifted the momentum all the way to NAU's side. The latter of the two blocks was Bock's record breaking rejection.

The 'Jack surge was in full force as NAU picked up three more blocks in what turned out to be a 12-2 run that gave the Lumberjacks a 18-11 lead they did not relinquish. Senior Janae Vander Ploeg concluded the opening set win with her sixth kill, as NAU hit .440. MSU hit only .062 due to NAU's seven team blocks.

Montana State led to start the second set as well and it was not until Vander Ploeg's ace that NAU was able to bring the score even at 13-all. The second set was closely contested with 11 ties, and NAU's six service errors allowed Montana State to hang around. MSU took a 23-22 lead, forcing an NAU timeout, and appeared determined to even the match but Vander Ploeg responded with a kill to tie the score again. She then ripped one down the center of the court and took care of business by herself with a solo block to deny the Bobcats.

Just as the first two sets played out, the 'Jacks found themselves behind early but used a 6-0 spurt to take a 12-9 lead with the last two points coming courtesy of two of freshman Jordan Anderson's career-high three aces. The Lumberjacks were unable to shake the Bobcats though, as an attack miscue brought the home team to 21-20. Montana State returned the favor after an NAU timeout, and in fact the Lumberjacks finished the match with the final four points. Fittingly, match point was clinched on a Bock block with Vander Ploeg, capping the senior's milestone day.

As a team, NAU matched its season-high of 16.0 blocks and has now recorded double-digit blocks in five of six conference matches. The Lumberjacks' extraordinary blocking stifled Montana State to only .051 hitting. It was the fourth match this season in which an opponent has hit under .100.

"We were ready to play today and we put a lot of pressure on them from start to finish in particular with our service pressure and our block," said head coach Ken Murphy. "It had a big impact on the way Montana State was playing. Our team is really understanding themselves better as we go through the season and realizing how much that helps us and how much it affects our opponents."

Vander Ploeg wound up with 13 kills, and more impressively hit a blistering .542. It was her first career match upwards of .500, as she set a new career high. Jacobsen had nine kills, two aces and four blocks, a number also matched by Dorsey. Barton had 29 assists, eight digs and six blocks – five of which came in the first set.

But the day belonged to Bock, who also tied the school record for a three-set match with nine assisted blocks. Her 10 total blocks are third-most in school history for a three-set match.

"We thought as the season went on, Payton would have a bigger impact on our outcomes and we're starting to see that," Murphy said. "She's working very hard in practice to improve her blocking and her diversity in the things she can do. It's really good to see all her hard work turning into not only success for her, but success for our team."

The Lumberjacks will bring their win streak back with them to the Rolle Activity Center next Thursday, Oct. 15 versus Weber State at 7 p.m. Starting with that match, NAU will play its next four matches at home for its longest homestand of the season.