FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (August 26, 2022) – Despite holding advantages in hitting, blocks and aces, the Northern Arizona volleyball team could not pull out a win in their 2022 season opener Friday morning in the Rolle Activity Center. Utah Tech claimed the Lumberjack Classic opener 25-22, 11-25, 25-22, 27-25, defeating NAU narrowly in the teams' first-ever meeting.
Senior
Taylor Jacobsen led the Lumberjacks with 21 kills – her third straight 20-kill match dating back to last season – and just missed out on a double-double finishing with nine. Junior
Millie O'Ketter collected a career-high five aces – accounting for half of NAU's match total – and posted 19 digs in the loss.
NAU outhit Utah Tech, .193-.167, and registered 10 aces to the Trailblazers' four. The Lumberjacks also posted 8.0 blocks with juniors
Jordan Elder and
Savannah Hasson having a hand in five each. The two teams had 50 kills apiece while Utah Tech held the slim dig advantage, 72-69.
Jacobsen hammered down the match's first kill, but the Trailblazers responded with the next five points forcing the 'Jacks to play from behind throughout the remainder of the opening stanza with the exception of a pair of ties at 6-6 and 7-7. A brief 3-0 Utah Tech run gave the visitors the lead for good at 10-7, as NAU could never fully climb out of the hole.
Freshman
Kylie Moran, who finished with 15 digs in her first collegiate match, pulled NAU within 21-20 at the end of a 3-0 Lumberjack run. The teams traded the next four points with NAU trailing 23-22 late before Utah Tech closed out the set with the final two points.
After hitting just .075 in the first set, the Lumberjacks erupted to hit .417 in their lone set victory of the morning, while also holding the Trailblazers to a .000 clip. NAU snagged a 4-0 advantage to start the second set and another 4-0 run snapped the only tie of the game at 6-6.
With the four-point lead in hand, O'Ketter served NAU to a 10-0 run with three of her five aces coming during the surge that padded the Lumberjacks' lead to 21-8. Jacobsen totaled five kills in the set as NAU cruised to a tie in the match.
The third set was controlled early by Utah Tech before NAU responded in the latter half setting the stage for a thrilling ending. The Trailblazers led 15-7 midway through the game only for the Lumberjacks to come roaring back. A 5-0 run closed the Utah Tech lead to 17-15 and a 6-1 surge eventually gave NAU its only lead of the set at 21-20.
The Trailblazers scored the next three points though and after Moran briefly halted the run with a kill, Utah Tech ultimately prevailed by scoring five of the last six points.
With the match in the balance, NAU came out firing with the first three points of the fourth set only for Utah Tech to answer with the next three. That set the stage for a game featuring 11 ties with neither team leading by more than three points the rest of the way.
The Trailblazers reached match point first at 24-21, but Elder single-handedly extended the match. Elder staved off the first match point with a kill, sending her to the service line on the sideout. A pancake-dig on the next point led to a Utah Tech error and Elder followed with an ace to bring the set even at 24-24 as the Lumberjacks held off three match points.
However, as was the case in Utah Tech's previous two set wins, the Trailblazers closed strong with three of the final four points to pick up the first win of the Lumberjack Classic.
Behind Jacobsen's 21 kills, senior
Neche Newton was next in line with eight kills – one shy of her career-high – on .353 hitting. Junior
Kate Hatch recorded a career-high 40 assists and also came up a dig shy of a double-double.
Michigan won the day's second match, sweeping Old Dominion. Utah Tech and Old Dominion will start the afternoon session at 4 p.m. with the nightcap between NAU and Michigan set for a 6:30 p.m. start, or 30 minutes after the conclusion of the previous match.
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