MATCH NOTES (PDF)

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - Back to the Midwest goes the Northern Arizona volleyball team as they set their sights on the Hampton Inn Jackrabbits Invitational starting Friday in Brookings, S.D. NAU opens the tournament versus Valparaiso Friday at 2:30 p.m. and will play CSU Bakersfield and the host, South Dakota State, on Saturday at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. respectively. All match times are local to Arizona.

"This weekend is a different challenge for us, but it's a good one," said head coach Ken Murphy. "Our team is still trying to figure out how to stay organized on our side and put our imprint on a match. Every time we have the chance to go out and play, it's one more chance to improve and not overthink the opponent. These teams are all going to have a uniqueness about them and it's going to come down to us learning about ourselves and continuing to improve."

Including the Lumberjacks, all four teams converging in South Dakota went 1-2 last weekend in their respective 2017 opening tournaments.

The 'Jacks rallied for a five-set thrilling victory over Southern Illinois in their season opener before falling to Western Kentucky, who moved into the AVCA Top 25 this week, and Miami. Redshirt junior Kaylie Jorgenson was a standout performer last week at the Miami Best Western Sycamore Inn Invitational, recording her first three career double-doubles and collecting All-Tournament honors. Jorgenson paced the Lumberjacks in both kills at 3.17 kills and 3.92 digs per set. At setter, sophomore Abby Stomp took the majority share of the action and averaged 8.92 assists while setting NAU's attack to a healthy .252 clip against three teams who all won 20-plus matches a year ago. She was one of three, with Jorgenson and freshman Heaven Harris being the others, who made their first career starts last weekend.

All three of NAU's matches this weekend can be seen online at this link, but fans will have to pay for a subscription.

Could This Be Real?: Not that it was any surprise, but the reality of the Lumberjacks' youthful roster - and the expectations of those very underclassmen - actually hit when they finally hit the court for the first time. In two of three matches at the Miami Best Western Sycamore Inn Invitational, NAU started four players of sophomore or freshman eligibility. Sophomores Abby Akin, Sydney Lema and Abby Stomp and freshman Heaven Harris started all three matches. Facing Western Kentucky, who claimed the tournament title and immediately jumped into the AVCA National Top 25 rankings, the number of underclassmen starters increased to five when redshirt sophomore Victoria Ewalefo got the starting nod. Taking it one step further, redshirt junior Kaylie Jorgenson made her first three career starts at the tournament, adding to the inexperienced-narrative.

Saluki Stunner: Down 2-0 in their season opener, the Lumberjacks did not blink. Instead, they axed their deficit set-by-set and in the end rallied for a five-set victory over Southern Illinois to start 2017 with an exclamation point. The win marked NAU's first after dropping the first two sets since it came back to beat Idaho State on Oct. 26, 2013. What made the victory even more impressive was that NAU trailed 7-1 in the decisive fifth set. The 'Jacks did not take the lead until 13-12, but scored three of the final four points with the last two coming off kills from redshirt junior Kaylie Jorgenson to complete the comeback. In the final stanza, NAU hit .625 with 10 kills and zero errors on 16 attacks for the fourth-highest fifth set hitting percentage in school history.

Every Match Matters: Since 2011, NAU owns a 53-14 record against non-conference opponents, while the Lumberjacks have posted an undefeated record and claimed champion honors at 12 of their last 20 pre-conference tournaments.

NAU Quick Hits: Ken Murphy is just seven wins shy of 100 at NAU...After the first weekend, NAU ranks in the top four in the Big Sky in hitting percentage (.252), kills (12.25/set), service aces (1.67/set) and digs (16.17/set)...The 'Jacks led the Big Sky in both hitting percentage and opponent hitting percentage last season, marking the third consecutive year they have done so...Harris (.439) and Akin (.388) rank third and fifth respectively in the conference in hitting percentage...Other Lumberjacks who rank in the Big Sky's top 10 individually include Stomp (8.92 assists/set, eighth), Akin (0.58 aces/set, tied for third), Jorgenson (3.92 digs/set, fifth) and senior Brooke Donnelly (3.42 digs/set, ninth)...Akin's seven service aces rank 29th nationally.

About Valparaiso: New to the Missouri Valley Conference this season, Valparaiso was voted seventh in the preseason poll coming off an injury-riddled season in their final season in the Horizon League in 2016. The Crusaders are 1-2 after opening the season at the Golden Dome Invitational last weekend. Valparaiso fell to host Notre Dame and New Mexico State before sweeping Rhode Island to complete the first weekend of play. Valparaiso placed two freshmen, Brittany Anderson and Rylee Cookerly, on the Notre Dame All-Tournament team. Anderson averaged 8.00 assists and 2.82 digs per set while Cookerly was stellar in the back row, averaging 6.64 digs per set in their first collegiate matches.

About CSU Bakersfield: CSU Bakersfield was picked in a tie for fifth in the preseason WAC Coaches' Poll after finishing tied for second last season. The Roadrunners competed at the Arkansas Classic last weekend and posted a 1-2 record. After dropping its first two matches of the season to Arkansas and Utah State, CSU Bakersfield bounced back to sweep Louisiana-Monroe in its tournament finale. Sydney Haynes, a preseason All-WAC selection, earned All-Tournament honors last weekend, totaling a team-high 24 kills at an average of 2.18 per set. She also totaled 11 blocks. Briannah Mariner leads the Roadrunners tih 2.44 kills per set through the first weekend of 2017.

About South Dakota State: South Dakota State placed seventh in the Summit League Preseason Poll, matching their 2016 finish in the conference. The Jackrabbits opened the 2017 season at Milwaukee's Pepsi Panther Invitational last season and swept the host in their season opener. Losses to Virginia Tech and fellow Big Sky school Idaho State followed as they take a 1-2 record into their home tournament. Sierra Peterson got off to a hot start to the season with a team-high 2.80 kills per set on .303 hitting, earning her a spot on the All-Tournament team. Ashlynn Smith, a member of the Summit League's preseason watch list, recorded eight blocks in three matches last weekend.