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FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (September 5, 2018) – Following an 8-5 non-conference record across four tournaments, the Northern Arizona volleyball team opens conference play Thursday night versus Idaho State at 7 p.m. The Lumberjacks will also host Weber State at 12 p.m. on Saturday during the opening weekend of the Big Sky slate.
NAU heads into the first Big Sky weekend coming off a win last Saturday versus Gonzaga to close Arizona State's Sparky Classic. The 'Jacks swept the Bulldogs to finish on a positive note following losses to Arizona State and Texas State.
"There's not one phase of the game that we're lacking in," said head coach
Ken Murphy. "Coming out of last weekend, we want to get better in terms of consistency. We want to improve how we believe in ourselves. If those things come, our offense is where it needs to be; our defense is where it needs to be. Going into this week, our first goal is to be fully engaged and knowing that the biggest challenge is playing the first point until the last exactly how we want to."
A pair of Lumberjacks – freshman
Ryann Davis and senior
Jordan Anderson – earned their first career All-Tournament team selections last week at the Sparky Classic. Davis was an offensive boost, posting a pair of 12-kill performances versus the Sun Devils and the Bulldogs and averaged 2.36 kills per set. Anderson led the Lumberjacks defensively, averaging 3.91 digs per set.
Anderson ranks No. 37 nationally with 232 digs. She is pacing one of the nation's best teams in terms of digs with 4.38 digs per set, which places her fifth in the Big Sky. As a team, the Lumberjacks are fourth nationally in total digs (937) and 16th in digs per set (17.68).
Through the first four weeks of the season, redshirt senior
Kaylie Jorgenson is the Lumberjacks' leader in kills with 2.94 per set, while sophomore
Heaven Harris ranks second with 2.75 per set.
Junior
Abby Akin is NAU's leader in hitting percentage (.345), aces per set (0.41) and blocks per set (1.12). Akin ranks in the top 10 of the Big Sky in all three categories.
Heading into conference play, NAU leads the Big Sky in opponent hitting percentage (.168) and digs per set (17.68). The Lumberjacks are the only team in the league to currently rank sixth or better in all seven team statistical categories.
NAU has held its opponents under .200 hitting in 10 of its first 13 matches. Conversely, the Lumberjacks have hit better than .200 in 10 matches.
Both of this week's matches will be available on Pluto TV Channel 239. Pluto TV is available
online in addition to their free mobile app.
About Idaho State:
Record: 6-7, 0-0 Big Sky
2018 Preseason Big Sky Poll: Seventh
All-Time Series: ISU, 38-35
Last Meeting: NAU, 3-0 (Nov. 4, 2017)
About Weber State:
Record: 5-4, 0-0 Big Sky
2018 Preseason Big Sky Poll: Fifth
All-Time Series: NAU, 44-31
Last Meeting: WSU, 3-2 (Nov. 2, 2017)
