FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (September 16, 2022) – Senior
Taylor Jacobsen became the 16th player in Northern Arizona volleyball history to join the 1,000 kill club in the Lumberjacks' 27-25, 22-25, 27-25, 20-25, 16-14 loss to New Mexico on Friday in the Rolle Activity Center. Jacobsen's milestone night concluded with a career-high 27 kills, but the 'Jacks (1-6) found themselves on the excruciating short end of a five-set loss that featured a whopping 52 ties and 25 lead changes.
"Taylor is our leader and she does a lot for us, and she has for a couple of years now," said head coach
Ken Murphy. "It's a great milestone for her and it's a testament to all of the work she's put in, but she's still getting better. She played better tonight than she has so far this year especially at the end of sets. That's something that she's going to build on as well."
Jacobsen's 27 kills eclipsed her previous career-high of 26 set at Montana State on Feb. 6, 2021. However, Jacobsen was joined in the double-digit column by junior
Jordan Elder and redshirt freshman
Kacee Moore, who set new career-bests of their own with 15 and 11 kills respectively. Friday marked the first time this season that NAU had three players with double-digit kills.
Junior
Kate Hatch notched a career-high of her own with 57 assists – the most by a Lumberjack since Abby Stomp's 62 in 2017 – and set NAU to a .228 hitting percentage, once again surpassing the Lobos' opponent attack percentage coming into the night. New Mexico ranked No. 64 in the country heading into Friday with an opponent hitting percentage of .172.
In addition to outhitting New Mexico, .228-.158, two nights after the Lobos hit .306 in their win over the Lumberjacks on Wednesday, NAU also narrowly outblocked New Mexico, 12.0-11.5. Elder paced the way with seven blocks to add to her outstanding evening, while Hatch set a new career-high with four blocks.
However, despite NAU's statistical advantages, New Mexico (9-1) emerged with its sixth consecutive win by closing the night with a 4-1 run. NAU trailed early, 5-2, and remained behind by three until junior
Millie O'Ketter capped a 3-0 run with an ace to tie the deciding set at 11-11. Another ace by Hatch gave the Lumberjacks a 13-12 advantage, but the Lobos scored the next two points to reach match point at 14-13.
After a New Mexico service error tied it at 14-14, the Lobos clinched the match with a kill and a service ace.
"We need to develop the confidence to finish sets off," Murphy said. "That's a tough thing and we still have to learn that, but we played at a high level tonight. We outstatted them in most categories and we're going to look back at it saying we're getting better as a volleyball team, but we still need to figure out how to close out sets."
The end of sets proved to be the Lumberjacks' downfall as they held 24-23 and 25-24 leads in both the first and third stanzas. But NAU could not seal the deal in either set, sending the 'Jacks to a pair of losses.
Following the first set loss, NAU evened the match at 1-1 by finishing the second set strong. After seeing New Mexico tie the set at 22-22 with a 3-0 run, NAU answered with a 3-0 run itself to wrap up the set. Jacobsen pounded a pair of kills to get the Lumberjacks to set point and a Lobo miscue wound up tying the match.
New Mexico claimed the third set – the most back-and-forth game of the night with 17 ties and 11 lead changes – with a pair of blocks on the final two points, but NAU once again answered the call in the fourth set. The 'Jacks took the lead for good with a brief, but important, 3-0 run capped by a kill from junior
Savannah Hasson that snapped an 11-11 tie.
Hatch and Elder combined for a block to give the Lumberjacks their largest lead of the entire night at 19-14, only for the Lobos to pull back within 20-19. With NAU clinging to a 21-20 lead, the Lumberjacks strung together a dominant finish, scoring the final four points with the last coming on an emphatic solo block by junior
Neche Newton to force a fifth set.
"Our team is responding to adjustments really well," Murphy said. "At times we had a ton of things figured out. We were holding them to a really low number offensively on their side and our defense was really locked in. We need to take those things out of this match more than anything."
Junior
Millie O'Ketter led a trio of 'Jacks in double-figure digs with 17, while Hatch's 13 digs locked up her fourth double-double of the season. For the second consecutive match, freshman
Keira Hall recorded 11 digs to round out NAU's defensive leaders.
NAU will host Montana next Thursday in its Big Sky Conference opener at 6:30 p.m. in Rolle Activity Center.
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