GREELEY, Colo. (October 13, 2018) – After four tightly contested sets, the fifth set got away from the Northern Arizona volleyball team in a 25-18, 22-25, 27-29, 25-23, 15-6 loss to rival Northern Colorado Saturday evening. With the loss, the Lumberjacks' three-match win streak came to an end as the 'Jacks fell to 13-8 overall and 5-3 in the conference.
The defeat was just NAU's second this season in nine matches when leading 2-1 in the match.
In the loss, redshirt senior
Kaylie Jorgenson had a stellar performance recording 17 kills, 22 digs and a career-high seven aces. The seven aces were not only more than double her previous high of three, it was also tied for the second-highest single match total in program history. She joined Rebecca Wooden (2002) and Angel Leath (1992) as players with seven aces in a match, and the trio trails only Kelly Verboom's eight in a 2007 match versus Montana on the school's record list.
The Bears snatched a potential road victory away the Lumberjacks with a thunderous fifth set, in which they led 12-1. After junior
Abby Akin evened the final game at 1-1 with a solo block, Northern Colorado scored the next 11 points. Although NAU was able to score four straight off Northern Colorado attack errors, the damage had been done.
An uncharacteristic one kill against five errors in the final set dropped NAU's match hitting percentage to .195. Conversely, Northern Colorado hit .241.
Despite four service aces during a 9-1 run that gave NAU an 11-7 lead in the first set, the Lumberjacks would lose the opening set. The Bears controlled the first game, hitting .316 and holding the Lumberjacks down to just a .050 clip, and methodically pulled away after kills by Jorgenson and freshman
Ryann Davis briefly tied the score at 15-15.
Jorgenson helped the Lumberjacks knot the match up at 1-1 with seven of NAU's 18 kills in the second set. The 'Jacks bounced back and posted their best offensive set of the evening – attacking at a .341 clip – to erase what was as much as a five-point Bears lead. The last came at 19-14 before junior
Sydney Lema capped a 5-0 NAU run with consecutive kills to tie the score. NAU was forced to call a timeout down 22-20, but a Jorgenson kill out of the stoppage would start a set-ending 5-0 run.
NAU's offensive momentum continued after the intermission and the Lumberjacks' resiliency shined as they fought off three set points to prevail in the marathon game. NAU saw its early 7-3 lead dwindle until Northern Colorado was on the brink of clinching the game at 23-21. After tying the score at 23-23, the 'Jacks faced set point at 24-23, 25-24 and 27-26. However, NAU had the answer each time receiving kills by Jorgenson, Davis and sophomore
Heaven Harris.
Harris' kill tied the score one final time at 27-27, and Jorgenson followed with an ace. On their second set point, the Lumberjacks clinched the game on a Bear attack error and moved within one set of the match victory.
Unfortunately, the Lumberjacks were not able to get that last set win as Northern Colorado overcame a 9-4 NAU lead to start the fourth game. NAU still led 16-12 after the first of three solo blocks by Jorgenson in the fourth set, but Northern Colorado shifted the tide with a 5-0 run. NAU never led again in the set, despite tying the score on three occasions, and were ultimately forced to play a fifth and final set.
Backing Jorgenson's offensive efforts were Akin and Harris who finished with 14 and 11 kills respectively. Akin hit .414 and also added three blocks. Junior
Abby Stomp led NAU with 26 assists.
The Lumberjacks will be back on the road next week for two more matches on the tail end of a stretch of four consecutive matches away from Flagstaff. NAU will start the week on Thursday at Weber State before playing at Idaho State next Saturday.
