MATCH NOTES (PDF)

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - The Northern Arizona volleyball team is in search of wins, and what better place to do so than in the Treasure State, this week on their second straight road trip. The Lumberjacks face Montana State on Thursday and Montana on Saturday with both matches scheduled for a 6 p.m. MST first serve. The two matches will signal the start of the second half of conference play with four weeks remaining in the regular season.

"We've been on the road so much this year and there's no doubt that with our young team, we have to fight that fatigue," said head coach Ken Murphy. "The challenge this week is realizing that we're playing a couple of teams who are not at the top of our conference unlike last week, but we still have to play our best and put our energy in the right place. Every time you go on the road it's tough, especially in our conference. The challenges are numerous this weekend and our team is looking forward to it."

The Lumberjacks are on the road for second consecutive week, and hopes to build on some positive momentum gained last week. NAU defeated Portland State in four sets before dropping a four-setter to undefeated Sacramento State to cap the first four weeks of the Big Sky slate with a 3-5 mark and a 7-12 overall record. Among the many Lumberjacks to set career-highs last weekend was redshirt junior Kaylie Jorgenson, who moved up a spot to third in the conference in kill average at 3.63. Jorgenson recorded a career-best 24 kills in the victory at Portland State and is now averaging 4.00 kills per set in league matches. She also set a new career-high with 27 digs - the highest match total by a 'Jack this season - against Sacramento State. Junior Jordan Anderson was exceptional at the service line as she led the Lumberjacks' service charge. In the Portland State match, Anderson tallied a career-best six aces, and had seven total in the weekend. She also matched a career-high of 25 digs versus Sacramento State. Sophomore Abby Akin is coming off arguably the best offensive weekend of her young career, as she tallied double-digit kills in both matches last weekend. With 11 kills against Portland State and a career-high 14 versus Sacramento State, Akin recorded double-digit kills in consecutive matches for the first time while moving up to fifth in the conference in hitting at .346.

Thursday's match will be streamed online on Pluto TV Channel 238 with Saturday's match on Pluto TV Channel 237 at pluto.tv or on the Pluto TV app. Fans can also access the matches at watchbigsky.com.

Close Calls: A point here, and a point there, and the Lumberjacks' win-loss record could be a lot different this season. NAU has dropped a total of 15 sets by three points or less this season, notably in two of three sets to Western Kentucky - currently the first team among others receiving votes in the AVCA National Top 25 - and all three sets in a loss to Eastern Washington. Last year, the Lumberjacks lost a total of 16 sets by three points or less the entire season. In particular, 10 of NAU's 15 set losses in conference play have been by the three points or less margin.

Recipe for Success: The Lumberjacks pride themselves on service pressure and their blocking, which then leads to their efficient offensive systems so it should be no surprise that those three elements have been key to their success early in the season. When NAU has held the advantage in service aces, it has a 5-3 record. The Lumberjacks are also 5-3 when they have outblocked their opposition. When NAU has outhit its opposition, the 'Jacks are 6-1. The win-loss splits are drastic with the Lumberjacks hitting .256 and averaging 1.95 aces and 2.19 blocks per set in wins while hitting only .196 with 1.17 aces and 1.83 blocks per set in losses.

Anderson's Ace Attack: Anderson had one of the finest serving performances in school history on Oct. 12, helping NAU to an impressive victory on the road at Portland State. Anderson aced the Vikings six times, marking a new career-high, and etching her name in the NAU record books in the process. Anderson became just the 10th player in program history to record at least six aces in a match, and just the fourth to do so in the rally scoring era since 2001. Her six aces were also the most by a Lumberjack in nearly a decade since Kelly Verboom tallied a school record eight at Montana on Oct. 18, 2007.

NAU Quick Hits: Ken Murphy is just one win shy of 100 at NAU...Also setting a career-high last week was sophomore Sydney Lema with 16 kills versus Sacramento State...The Lumberjacks are hitting .246 in conference play...NAU has posted a hitting percentage of .240 or better in six of eight conference matches...NAU has three players in the top seven of the conference in aces per set in Big Sky matches (Anderson, Lema, Akin)...The Lumberjacks rank No. 45 nationally and lead the Big Sky with 1.51 aces per set...NAU has recorded 38 aces in its last four matches.

About Montana State: Montana State was predicted to finish 10th in the conference in the Big Sky Preseason Poll. The Bobcats have lost three straight since winning consecutive matches and are now 6-11 overall and 2-3 in conference. Last weekend, they were swept by both North Dakota and Northern Colorado at home. Natalie Passeck leads the Bobcats in kills with 2.93 per set and is second on the team in digs with 2.21 per set. Allyssa Rizzo ranks sixth overall in the Big Sky with a dig average of 4.30, including an average of 4.90 in conference matches only. Montana State is hitting a league-low .141 this season, but rank sixth in overall matches with an opponent hitting percentage of .206. s with 13.83 per set as a team. In league play, the Vikings are averaging a Big Sky leading 15.10 kills per set in addition to hitting .267 - also tops in the conference.

About Montana: Montana was selected 11th in the Big Sky Preseason Poll. Like the Bobcats, the Grizzlies were also swept by Northern Colorado and North Dakota last week at home to fall to 1-7 in Big Sky play and 6-15 overall. Montana's lone conference win was two weeks ago against Weber State. Mykaela Hammer is the Grizzlies' kills leader for the season at 3.23 per set, but Missy Huddleston has led the team with 3.32 kills per set with a hitting percenage of .224 in conference play. Baily Permann is hitting a team-best .260 this season. Montana also ranks toward the bottom of the Big Sky in hitting percentage with a .158 clip. The Grizzlies' opponents have hit .228 against them.