POCATELLO, Idaho (October 19, 2023) – It is said that all good things must come to an end, and NAU Volleyball's (5-13, 2-5) seven-match win streak over Idaho State did Thursday night in a straight sets defeat to the Bengals, 23-25, 16-25, 13-25 at Reed Gym in Pocatello.
It was Idaho State's (5-14, 3-5) first win over the Lumberjacks since Sept. 20, 2018, their first victory versus NAU at home in seven years, and their first sweep of Northern Arizona in 12.
Dropping the first two points in the opening set, the Lumberjacks would go off for a stretch of time after that, winning eight of 10 points, causing Idaho State head coach Sean Carter to use his first timeout with NAU having an 8-4 lead.
Three of those points during the run came from kills from Hanah Stoddard and Neche Newton. Whereas the other five were off Idaho State attack errors.
Stoddard and Newton were two of the top performers for NAU offensively, with the Idaho native Stoddard finishing with 10 kills and 11 digs, marking her fourth double-double of the season. Newton ended the match, hitting a team-high .333 with six kills on 15 swings.
Two NAU players would record double-digit digs in Stoddard, and for the second time this season, Jordan Cherniss ended the night with 12, leading all Lumberjacks. Millie O'Ketter's nine digs tonight put her 10 away from being in the top five in program history.
Following their timeout, Idaho State would get back into the opening set, eventually tying the match at 12.
The first set would see five tied scores and a pair of lead changes. After alternating the two points following the 12-all tied score, Idaho State would take back the advantage and would not trail again.
After taking its second timeout down 21-17, Northern Arizona would make it interesting, tying the score again at 23. Idaho State would go on to win the next two points to close out the opening set.
Serving played a key role in the first, with the Lumberjacks hitting four of its eventual eight service errors in set one compared to the Bengals, who hit one of two total errors from the service line to start the match.
Like set one, both teams were pacing with one another through the first half of set two. However, a 7-0 run from Idaho State opened the floodgates in the second set of play, and it would be too much for the Lumberjacks to counter.
With a two-sets-to-none lead, the Bengals, this time, came out with an explosive start, winning eight of 11 to start the third. Eleven would also mark the largest lead for Idaho State in the third set, who hit .273 and .360 as a team to wrap up a sweep.
NAU will look to get back on track on Saturday afternoon in Ogden, Utah when they visit one of the top teams in the Big Sky Conference standings, the Weber State Wildcats (13-6, 6-2). First serve is set for 12 p.m. on Saturday and will be streamed live on ESPN+.
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