SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Northern Arizona volleyball team went into Sacramento looking to complete a perfect weekend to open conference play on the road, but the Lumberjacks were turned back by the Hornets Saturday afternoon, 25-17, 25-14, 23-25, 30-28. Nineteen kills from senior Janae Vander Ploeg and 18 from junior Lauren Jacobsen were not enough, as NAU fell to 11-4, 1-1 in the Big Sky.

"Sac State played great and they were tough to defend," said head coach Ken Murphy. "They were able to play at a high level all day and I was impressed they were able to do that. Our fight was really good, but we did some uncharacteristic things offensively in particular. We just had a day where we weren't connecting in our systems well and playing the way we are capable of. Sac State was defending well too, so I think it was a combination of both."

The Hornets, the owners of the Big Sky's best overall record of 15-2, controlled the opening set at the net, tallying six blocks as they led from the first point. Sacramento State raced out to a 5-1 lead, but the Lumberjacks were able to close to 17-15 following a block by junior Addy Lofstedt and redshirt freshman Brittni Dorsey and a Jacobsen kill. An NAU service error immediately gave Sacramento State the sideout though, and the Hornets, who held the 'Jacks to only .150 hitting, finished the set on an 8-2 run.

The second set was closely contested to start, but the Hornets followed a kill by Vander Ploeg that tied the set at 6-6 with three points of their own. Senior Payton Bock's jostle at the net resulting in a solo block brought the Lumberjacks within 12-11, but a 9-1 corresponding Sacramento State run put the set out of reach. NAU struggled to slow down the Hornet attack in the set with 20 of the Hornets' 25 points coming off kills.

Needing to extend the match, NAU rode the hot arm of Jacobsen to a third set win although it needed to hold off a furious Sacramento State rally to do so. Jacobsen got the set started with her first of seven kills and followed with an ace, as NAU got out to a 10-5 advantage. After a Jacobsen and Bock block, the Lumberjacks led comfortably at 22-17, but the Hornets stormed back to tie the set at 23-all. Vander Ploeg quickly got the 'Jacks resettled with a kill putting the visitors at set point, and they clinched the victory on a Hornet error the next point.

Bock and junior Jensen Barton combined for consecutive blocks to jumpstart NAU to a 5-1 lead in the fourth set. Sacramento State creeped to within three points, but Bock, Jacobsen and Vander Ploeg stung the Hornet defense with three straight kills to widen NAU's lead to 15-9. Sensing the momentum shifting completely in the Lumberjacks' favor, Sacramento State climbed back to even the set at 23-23. The 'Jacks were then forced to play from behind as they saved four match points and eventually took a 28-27 lead courtesy of a block by Bock and Jacobsen. However, Sacramento State staved off the NAU point and claimed the final two points to win the match.

NAU was held under a .200 hitting percentage for just the second time this season as it was outhit .271-.180 by Sacramento State. The Hornets also outblocked the Lumberjacks, 14.0-11.0, but NAU held the edge in service aces, 6-3.

Vander Ploeg matched her season-high of 19 digs to go along with her match-high 19 kills for her eighth double-double of the season. She also tallied three of NAU's six service aces. Jacobsen, with 18 kills and 10 digs, and Barton, with 45 assists and 11 digs, also recorded double-doubles. Bock posted a team-high nine blocks for the second straight match, and third time this season, while redshirt senior Stacia Williams led the 'Jacks with 21 digs.

The Lumberjacks return to the Rolle Activity Center for their Big Sky home opener on Thursday, Oct. 1 versus Idaho at 7 p.m. Their stay at home will be a brief one as they then will travel to play at Southern Utah on Saturday, Oct. 3.