MATCH NOTES (PDF)
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (August 29, 2018) – The Northern Arizona volleyball team looks to build on their momentum, and extend their three-match winning streak, when they open up the IUPUI Hampton Inn Invitational on Friday versus SIUE at 1:30 p.m. MST. During their trip to Indianapolis, Ind., NAU will also face Western Michigan and IUPUI, the host team, on Saturday at 7 a.m. MST and 4 p.m. MST respectively.
"We know we put together a challenging schedule and this weekend is no different; these three teams have all had success," said head coach
Ken Murphy. "We're hoping that we can build on last weekend. We started to see a team who got our defensive identity together and feeling like we can control some phases of the game when we have serve. We started to see our team play a style that fits us and helps us be successful."
NAU claimed the tournament title at last weekend's Aggie Invitational in Davis, Calif. to open the season, winning three of four matches. After falling to Nevada, the 'Jacks proceeded to defeat Utah Valley in five sets to earn their first win of the season last Saturday. NAU then defeated Holy Cross and UC Davis, the tournament host, in four sets to close the tournament.
The Lumberjacks were led by junior
Abby Akin, who was named the Aggie Invitational Most Valuable Player at the conclusion of the tournament. Akin paced the team in hitting percentage (.340) and blocks (1.35 per set) while also averaging 2.41 kills and 0.47 aces per set. NAU was also represented on the All-Tournament Team by junior
Abby Stomp (5.71 assists, 0.35 aces, 1.24 digs per set) and sophomore
Heaven Harris (3.18 kills and 1.29 blocks per set).
On Monday, Harris was named the Big Sky Defensive Player of the Week for the second time in her career. She totaled 22 blocks in four matches and helped NAU hold its four opponents to a combined hitting percentage of .151.
This weekend could be a special one for senior
Jordan Anderson, who needs 76 digs to become the 14th player in program history to record 1,000 career digs. In NAU's win against Utah Valley last week, she tallied a career-high 36 digs to rank fourth in program history for a single match. Anderson currently ranks second in the conference with 6.00 digs per set.
As a team, NAU ranks in the top three of the Big Sky in every statistical category, including ranking first in opponent hitting percentage (.151), service aces (2.00) and digs (20.35). Nationally through the opening weekend, the Lumberjacks lead the nation in total kills (227), total assists (218), total aces (34) and total blocks (47.0) as of Wednesday.
Live stats for this weekend's tournament will be available at this
link. Video streaming will be unavailable this weekend.
About SIUE:
Record: 0-3, 0-0 Ohio Valley
2018 Preseason Ohio Valley Poll: Third
All-Time Series: First Meeting
About Western Michigan:
Record: 2-2, 0-0 MAC
2018 Preseason MAC Poll: Second, MAC West
All-Time Series: NAU leads 2-0
Last Meeting: NAU, 3-1 (Sept. 2, 2016)
About IUPUI:
Record: 1-3, 0-0 Horizon League
2018 Preseason Horizon League Poll: Fifth
All-Time Series: First Meeting
