‘Jacks Find Offensive Rhythm to Dispatch Portland State, Complete Unbeaten Weekend

PORTLAND, Ore. (January 31, 2021) – The Northern Arizona volleyball team bounced back from an uneven first set to knock off Portland State, 20-25, 25-17, 25-23, 25-18, in Viking Pavilion on Sunday. With the win, the Lumberjacks (3-1) leave the City of Roses with a weekend sweep, while continuing to be a thorn in the Vikings' side as they notched their seventh win in their last eight matches in Portland.
 
"The first set looked a lot like yesterday, and honestly a lot like last Monday," said head coach Ken Murphy. "We weren't controlling our side, but after that we really got it together. The total match doesn't reflect it, but in the last three sets we hit really good numbers. We controlled the game with our defense first, but that definitely turned into offense."
 
The Lumberjacks had by far their worst offensive set of the season in the first, recording only nine kills and tallying 10 errors for a -.020 percentage. However, in the final three sets, NAU – led by the tandem of junior Taylor Jacobsen and senior Heaven Harris – found an offensive groove.
 
In NAU's three set wins, the Lumberjacks hit a combined .269 and averaged 17 kills per game. Jacobsen and Harris, like the rest of the team, rebounded from a difficult first set and each posted 19 kills in the match with the former tying her career-high.
 
Freshman Kate Hatch (23) and junior Aubrea Bandfield (20) each posted at least 20 assists in setting NAU's attack to an overall match attack percentage of .191. With the two setters distributing the attack, junior Ryann Davis and freshman Lyla Hollis also recorded at least seven kills on the afternoon.
 
Portland State (1-3, 0-2 Big Sky) scored the first three points of the match and NAU never got closer than 9-7 in the opening game. The Vikings put away the Lumberjacks with a 5-0 run that put their lead at 15-8 in what turned out to be a set dominated by both defenses. Although NAU hit negative in the stanza, Portland State was not much better at just .043 as the two teams combined for 50 digs and each team had three blocks.
 
 
Jacobsen was unstoppable in the second set, powering nine kills and leading the charge in tying the match up at one set apiece. Jacobsen accounted for NAU's first three points of the set with kills and NAU's early 6-2 advantage held throughout the set. After Portland State got within 10-8, Jacobsen spurred a second NAU run with three more kills to push the lead back out to 15-9.
 
With Davis and Harris combining for seven more kills to back Jacobsen's effort, NAU posted 19 kills and hit .350 in the second set win.
 
The third set started similarly as its predecessor as Jacobsen scored NAU's first three points and the Lumberjacks jumping out to a 5-1 lead. Then Harris took the baton and hammered eight of NAU's 18 kills in the set, including four during a game-changing 7-2 run that gave the 'Jacks a 12-7 lead. Leading by as much as six points, the Lumberjacks had to hold off a late Viking rally though to clinch the game.
 
NAU held a 23-18 lead late, and got to set point at 24-20 before Portland State score three straight to close to 24-23. However, a Viking service error wrapped up the set and the Lumberjacks' 2-1 match lead.
 
Consecutive aces by Bandfield provided NAU with a 12-8 cushion in the fourth set and NAU maintained a steady lead throughout the remainder of the final game. A block by sophomore Neche Newton and Hollis – one of four by NAU in the set – put NAU at 19-13 and the Lumberjacks got within two points of victory following Harris' 19th kill at 23-16.
 
After two Portland State points, NAU closed out the match with a Viking error and a Hollis ace to post a cap an unbeaten weekend in the Pacific Northwest.
 
"Especially for a young team, it's important for them to learn that every time you're on the road, it's hard and it doesn't matter who you're playing," said Murphy. "Portland State played well and definitely pushed us, but to reach the goals that we have we need to learn how to go out on the road and take care of business."
 
Led by five blocks from Newton and four from Davis, NAU had 9.0 team stuffs and outdug Portland State, 84-81, in a strong defensive effort. Portland State only recorded 36 kills – 24 fewer than NAU – and was held in check to just a .118 attack percentage. NAU also had seven aces to Portland State's three.
 
For the second straight match, NAU had five players reach double-figure digs paced by Hollis' 20. Jacobsen (19 kills, 13 digs), Hatch (23 assists, 15 digs) and Bandfield (20 assists, 12 digs) all posted double-doubles.
 
NAU will be out on the road for a second straight week next weekend with matches at Montana State in Bozeman. The Lumberjacks and Bobcats will play at 5 p.m. on Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday.
 
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