MISSOULA, Mont. (November 2, 2023) – Despite a third set that saw Northern Arizona Volleyball hit over .500 as a team, the Lumberjacks were unable to pull off the comeback and dropped a sixth consecutive decision in four sets to Montana, 18-25, 22-25, 25-14, 19-25 at Dahlberg Arena in Missoula on Thursday night.
"A lot went right for us in the third set, and we saw what we are capable of on offense," head coach Ken Murphy said. "I especially thought that Hanah [Stoddard] and Kylie [Moran] took good swings in that set that would score against anyone that we play."
NAU's .542 hitting percentage in that third set is the first time that they have eclipsed the .500 mark since the fifth set at Idaho on Nov. 17, 2022. Moran struck five kills on her six swings in the set. In her first bit of action since Oct. 14, Moran recorded 10 kills.
Stoddard was one of two Lumberjacks to record double-doubles with 15 kills and 15 digs. The other was sophomore Keira Hall, who added 18 assists and 10 digs.
Despite the defeat, the Lumberjacks stayed with the Grizzlies in multiple defensive categories, including having 11 more digs than the home team 70-59. Senior Millie O'Ketter was the leader in the department, racking up a match-high 17 digs. Northern Arizona also equaled Montana with nine team blocks, including two solos from junior Kendall Robertson.
"I've been really impressed with the defensive improvements we've made the past couple of weeks," Murphy said. "Tonight's match had a lot of long rallies, and we played hard and defended some very difficult shots."
Tied 10-10 in the first set, Montana went on a 3-0 run to tally its largest lead of the opener and would lead by that same total at the media timeout 15-12. The Lumberjacks would cut that deficit to one on a bad set from Montana and a Stoddard kill.
The Grizzlies would only grow the lead from that point on, riding a pair of 3-0 runs to close out the first set, which saw NAU hit nine kills on just 31 attacks.
A similar story played out in the second set, with Montana jumping ahead 9-6 before three straight Lumberjack points would follow, coming off of a kill from Savannah Bloom, a Neche Newton service ace and a block from Robertson.
Eleven tied scores and five lead changes came across in the second set, with the two teams being squared as late as 20-20. The Griz then rattled off three in a row before recording two of the final three points to go into the break up two sets.
But coming out of the break, it was all NAU early and often starting the set, winning the first six points, and continuing from there.
With a lead as big as eight in the set, the Lumberjacks limited their mistakes, not hitting a single error in the entirety of set three while forcing Montana to hit at their lowest percentage of the match, .139.
It was Montana that would get off to a rolling start in the fourth set, going on a 6-0 run to make it a 14-6 score and requiring Murphy to use his second timeout. The timeout slowly started to pay dividends as Northern Arizona would get back to within three, trailing 21-18.
Four out of the final five points would end up going the Grizzlies' way to wrap up the match in four, ending a streak of three straight matches between the two teams needing a decider.
Next up for Northern Arizona will be a drive east to Bozeman, as a date with the Montana State Bobcats awaits on Saturday night. The match will be streamed live on ESPN+ and will get underway at 6 p.m.
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