OXFORD, Ohio – A young, inexperienced Northern Arizona volleyball team was put the test on Friday. Facing a 2-0 match deficit then a 7-1 fifth set deficit to Southern Illinois, the Lumberjacks did not panic and they did not crumble until pressure. Instead, behind performances by a number of non-household names (yet), the Lumberjacks' maturation process was accelerated in a thrilling comeback win to open the 2017 season.
Redshirt junior
Kaylie Jorgenson punctuated the 24-26, 23-25, 25-13, 25-23, 15-13 come-from-behind win over Southern Illinois with the final two kills of the match, completing NAU's first successful rally from a 2-0 deficit since 2013.
"I told them after that we learned about a month's worth of lessons in one match," said head coach
Ken Murphy. "There were so many highs and lows and examples of how to manage ourselves through tough matches. To be able to get to the end with a chance to win, and to make the plays that made the difference; I'm proud of us winning the match but I'm just as proud of their resiliency."
Jorgenson, sophomore
Abby Stomp and freshman
Heaven Harris all made their first career starts for NAU, while senior
Brooke Donnelly made her first career appearance at libero – and all made significant contributions. Jorgenson finished with career-highs of 16 kills and 19 digs, while Stomp collected her first career double-double with 36 assists and 10 digs. Harris hit .381 and posted 10 kills along with four blocks in her collegiate debut and Donnelly led all players with a match-high 22 digs.
It took every single contribution for NAU to notch a season-opening win to start the Miami Best Western Sycamore Inn Invitational as Southern Illinois pushed NAU to the brink by claiming the first two sets. But the Lumberjacks stormed back set by set, with no rally larger than their fifth-set comeback.
Trailing 7-1 in the decisive game, NAU used a Southern Illinois service error to slowly turn the tide. The Saluki miscue keyed a furious 9-3 run that brought the set even at 10-all. Consecutive kills by sophomore
Sydney Lema and Harris put NAU in front, 13-12, only for Southern Illinois to tie it up once again. Jorgenson – the Lumberjacks' leading returner in kills – would have no more as the 26th and final tie of the match was snapped with a pair of kills, allowing Jorgenson to set a new career-best.
The Lumberjacks were only able to get to that point by winning the third and fourth sets, with a runaway third set being the only game not decided by two points. Needing a win to extend the match, Lema served the 'Jacks to a rout with three of her career-high tying four aces during a 12-0 run that broke a 10-10 tie. Harris had two kills and two blocks in the run, while sophomore
Abby Akin contributed two blocks as well to ensure NAU would see another set.
NAU appeared to be in control of the fourth set as it jumped out to a 7-2 advantage, only for Southern Illinois to methodically close the gap before using a 5-0 spurt to take a 19-16 lead. After a timeout, the 'Jacks rattled off three consecutive points to knot the score at 19-all. The teams would remain tied every step of the way until a kill from redshirt junior
Brittni Dorsey put NAU at set point. Two points later, Harris prevented a second significant blown game lead by the 'Jacks of the day with a kill, which set the stage for NAU's fifth-set dramatics.
The Lumberjacks found themselves in a hole due to seeing a late 21-15 lead in the opening set disappear. Six straight points by the Salukis erased their deficit and they eventually took the first set in extra points. While Southern Illinois would wind up taking the second set as well, the second game served as foreshadowing for the remainder of the match on the NAU side of the net.
Trailing by as much as seven at 15-8 midway through the second set, the Lumberjacks fought all the way back to put themselves in a position to even the match at 1-1. NAU held off three set points, with a kill from Harris bringing NAU within 24-23, before the Southern Illinois wrapped the game up. Of course, the rest is history.
NAU, the reigning national statistical leader in aces, ripped 13 service aces to aid in the efforts in knocking off Southern Illinois for the second consecutive year. Akin (five aces) and Jorgenson (three aces) both had not recorded an ace at the service line prior to Friday.
Stomp and senior
Dani Westfall rotated at setter and assisted the offense to a .266 hitting percentage for the match. Jorgenson, Lema (career-high 14 kills) and Harris all reached double-figure kills in addition to Akin and Dorsey both hitting .375 for the afternoon.
"We've talked about how we have strengths at all the spots," Murphy said. "The setters understand how we're going to be successful within our systems, and both of them – particularly Abby towards the end – did a good job of getting the ball to the hitter who was on balance in high pressure situations."
With her five blocks, Akin led a blocking attack that outblocked Southern Illinois, 8.0-4.0. Five Lumberjacks finished with double-digit digs with Lema joining Stomp and Jorgenson with double-doubles.
NAU continues with doubleheader action Saturday morning at 6:30 a.m. Arizona time versus Western Kentucky. The 'Jacks will also play the host, Miami, at 2 p.m. to conclude the first weekend of the season.
