MATCH NOTES (PDF)
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (September 12, 2018) – The Northern Arizona volleyball team heads south for the Sparky Classic hosted by Arizona State for its final non-conference tournament this weekend. The Lumberjacks and the host Sun Devils will square off first in the tournament opener on Friday at 11 a.m. On Saturday, NAU will face Texas State at 9:30 a.m. and Gonzaga at 2:45 p.m. before turning its attention to Big Sky play next week.
"We think this is the toughest two-week stretch of our season," said head coach
Ken Murphy. "All three teams are top-100 teams and will present unique challenges for us. It is important for us to know that we've had good success and we're getting better, but we're early in the season still and we have a lot of room to grow. We need to make a lot of progress this weekend."
The 'Jacks are coming off a high note last weekend as they upset No. 8 Florida in five sets to highlight their own Lumberjack Classic. The win was NAU's first over a nationally-ranked opponent since 1989 and the eighth-ranked Gators were the highest ranked opponent NAU has claimed a win over in program history. With the win, as well as sweeping Southern Illinois, the Lumberjacks won two of three at their home tournament. The Lumberjacks' lone loss last week came at the hands of CSUN in five sets on Saturday.
Junior
Abby Akin was named the Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week on Monday after earning her third All-Tournament honor in as many weekends. Akin totaled 35 kills and hit .424 in three Lumberjack Classic Matches in addition to recording 15 blocks and two aces. For the season, Akin ranks fifth in the conference with a .357 hitting percentage, fifth with 1.14 blocks per set and tied for seventh with 0.33 aces per set.
Redshirt senior
Kaylie Jorgenson was also named to the Lumberjack Classic All-Tournament Team last weekend. She currently leads the team with 3.26 kills per set, good for seventh in the conference. Jorgenson also leads the team with seven double-doubles this season.
NAU's setting duties have been split between junior
Abby Stomp and freshman
Aubrea Bandfield, who has set the Lumberjacks to a .252 hitting percentage – the second-best mark in the league.
"We're getting more comfortable with the options that we have," Murphy said. "Our setters are getting more consistent and we're receiving the ball better every single week. When we do those two things, we have terminal hitters and you're starting to see that we have a team with enough physicality and options that makes it hard to focus on one or two attackers."
Defensively, senior
Jordan Anderson became the 14th player in program history to record 1,000 career digs last Saturday versus CSUN. She currently ranks No. 27 nationally with 189 total digs.
The Lumberjacks continue to pace the country in total digs with 779 as of Sept. 12. They are also seventh nationally with 18.55 digs per set.
About Arizona State:
Record: 7-2, 0-0 Pac-12
2018 Preseason Pac-12 Poll: 11th
All-Time Series: ASU, 42-6
Last Meeting: ASU, 3-1 (Sept. 8, 2017)
About Texas State:
Record: 6-5, 0-0 Sun Belt
2018 Preseason Sun Belt Poll: First
All-Time Series: TXST, 1-0
Last Meeting: TXST, 3-2 (Sept. 9, 2005)
About Gonzaga:
Record: 3-5, 0-0 West Coast
2018 Preseason West Coast Poll: Fifth
All-Time Series: Tied, 1-1
Last Meeting: GU, 3-2 (Sept. 17, 2005)
