PORTLAND, Ore. (September 27, 2018) – On the front end of one of their toughest conference road trips, the Northern Arizona volleyball team took care of business Thursday night, sweeping Portland State, 25-13, 25-20, 25-14. In moving their conference record to 2-1, as well as 10-6 overall, the Lumberjacks posted their second highest hitting output of the season at .361 to win their fifth straight match in the Rose City.
"One of the really big keys was we had great right side and middle offense," said head coach
Ken Murphy. "We had some matchup situations we thought we could take advantage of. I liked the way we set the ball and hit the ball. Our defense was locked in from the first point and we created opportunities with our tough serve."
NAU outstatted Portland State in every category across the board with advantages in kills (45-29), hitting percentage (.361-.114), aces (7-1), digs (55-47) and blocks (4.0-1.0).
No Lumberjack reached double-digit kills, but five hitters posted at least six kills led by nine each from redshirt senior
Kaylie Jorgenson and junior
Abby Akin. The duo also combined for all four of NAU's blocks. Akin hit a team-high .692, compiling her nine kills on just 13 swings.
Junior
Abby Stomp and freshman
Aubrea Bandfield combined for 32 assists and set the 'Jacks to their highest three-set kill total of the season. The setters each posted two aces to account for more than half of NAU's total for the evening.
After Portland State scored the match's initial point, NAU scored the next five with two coming on kills by freshman
Ryann Davis. Davis led the Lumberjacks with five of her eight kills in the opening set, as NAU never relinquished its early advantage. The 'Jacks pulled away with a 6-0 run that doubled up the Vikings, 17-8, at the time and NAU rolled to a set one win by hitting .371.
The Vikings had their chances in the second set to even the match at 1-1, but a pivotal Lumberjack run late sealed the deal. With ties every step of the way until 13-13, NAU snagged a three-point lead with a short spurt started by a kill from sophomore
Olivia Turner. Portland State answered with two points to get back to 16-15, but sophomore
Heaven Harris ignited the game-changing 5-0 run with a kill. Junior
Abby Stomp followed with consecutive aces and the Lumberjacks did not look back clinching the set with two kills by redshirt senior
Brittni Dorsey.
The Lumberjacks did not commit an error in the third set to complete the sweep. Harris – who finished with eight kills on a season-best .571 hitting – and Akin carried the load in the final game, each posting four kills as an early 4-1 NAU advantage held up.
Three 'Jacks finished with double-digit digs paced by senior
Jordan Anderson's 15. Jorgenson totaled a dozen digs, and Stomp recorded her fourth double-double of the season with 11 digs to go with 19 assists.
NAU will pay Sacramento State a visit on Saturday to close the weekend. First serve is slated for 7 p.m. and the Lumberjacks will be looking to snap a six-match losing streak to the Hornets in The Nest.
