FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (November 10, 2022) – Back in the Rolle Activity Center for the first time in three matches, the Northern Arizona University volleyball team played host to Weber State and jumped ahead 1-0 after winning the first match. The Lumberjacks could not contain the lead, and fell 3-1 (25-23, 19-25, 20-25, 21-25).
Following tonight's loss, NAU drops to 3-17 overall with a 2-11 mark in Big Sky Conference play. Weber State, who have now won five-straight in the series, improves to 16-8 overall and 10-3 in conference action.
The Lumberjacks hit .166 on the night and were led in kills by
Savannah Hasson with 14. Hasson hit .458 on the night with only three hitting errors on 24 attempts.
Millie O'Ketter notched double-digit digs with 23.
"I thought Weber State played with a lot of maturity, and I thought we played with low confidence on our side. We had some really good chances to execute some things, and we didn't go after them very aggressively," said head coach
Ken Murphy. "Our team is disappointed that we had so many good opportunities right there to take another set or two and win the match. I thought we didn't pursue tonight with the right type of mentality."
The opening set was closely contested with 10 ties and five lead changes, and it was also NAU's best of the night as it swung at a .227 clip with 14 kills. With the set tied 15-15, Weber State tried to pull ahead for a 19-17 lead. The 'Jacks then fired off five-straight points, including two consecutive kills by
Kacee Moore, to take a 22-19 lead. The teams moved into ties at 22-22 and 23-23, but it was the Lumberjacks who had the final say, as Hasson fired off two-straight kills to help give NAU the 25-23 decision and the 1-0 lead in the match.
The Lumberjacks were held to just eight kills compared to 15 for the Wildcats in set two. Weber State built a 13-6 lead to try and put NAU away early, but the 'Jacks fought back. They strung together an 8-2 run to tie the match at 17-17. The Wildcats didn't back down, responding with five-straight points to rebuild a 22-17 lead in route to the 25-19 victory to tie the match 1-1.
NAU came out hot in the third set, taking a 9-4 lead that extended to 14-10. The Wildcats slowly chipped away, and down 18-15, they used a 7-1 run to pull ahead 22-19. Weber State then found the final three points to win 25-20 and take a 2-1 lead.
WSU jumped ahead 7-3 in the fourth frame and continued to hold the edge against the Lumberjacks. However, NAU made it interesting, as two-straight kills from Hasson and Kylie Moran cut the lead down to a point, 20-19, and forced the Wildcats to take a timeout. Out of the break, Weber State finished on a 5-1 spurt to hold on to the 25-21 victory and take the 3-1 win.
The Wildcats bested NAU in nearly ever category, including hitting a .232 clip with 62 kills compared to 44 kills for the Lumberjacks. They also had nine blocks and six service aces to three blocks and three aces for NAU. Defensively, the Wildcats garnered 69 digs compared to 57 for the Lumberjacks.
Individually,
Kate Hatch served up 38 assists, and both Moore and Moran had nine kills each.
The Lumberjacks will play in front of a home crowd one final time in 2022 on Saturday when they play host to Idaho State. First serve is set for 12 p.m. Mountain Standard time from the Rolle Activity Center. Prior to the match, NAU will honor
Kate Hatch and
Jasmine West for Senior Day.
