OGDEN, Utah (Nov. 14, 2024) – It was a roller-coaster match between the Lumberjacks and the Wildcats as the Northern Arizona women's volleyball team faced off against Weber State tonight. The Wildcats ultimately swept the 'Jacks in three sets: 8-25, 27-29, and 23-25. This defeat drops Northern Arizona to 11-13 overall and 4-9 in Big Sky Conference play, while Weber State improves to 13-11 and 10-3.
The first set began with a 4-4 tie, highlighted by kills from Taylor Jacobsen and Gigi Greenlee. Weber State then claimed nine consecutive points to bring the score to 13-4. Jacobsen managed another kill before the Wildcats went on a seven-point run, advancing the score to 20-5. Savannah Bloom added a kill to give the 'Jacks seven points, but the Wildcats closed out the first set decisively at 25-8.
In the second set, four different Lumberjacks contributed to NAU's first five points, with kills from Sophia Wadsworth, Greenlee, Bloom, and an ace by Melia Barlow. Weber State reclaimed the lead at 7-6, with the score later tied at 8-8. A 7-2 run by Weber State gave them a five-point advantage at 15-10. Northern Arizona responded with a 7-2 run of their own, tying the score at 17 apiece. The score would tie four more times, eventually reaching 21-21. The Wildcats managed a 4-1 run to secure a set-point advantage at 24-22, but kills from Stoddard and Jacobsen kept the set alive, tying it at 24-24. In a back-and-forth battle, the 'Jacks briefly led 27-26, but Weber State ultimately claimed the second set with a three-point rally, winning 29-27.
Set three opened with Weber State taking an early 5-2 lead. Northern Arizona countered with a 7-1 run, pulling ahead 9-6 with kills by Greenlee, Stoddard, and Jacobsen. However, the Wildcats surged with a 9-1 run, taking a five-point lead at 15-10. The 'Jacks fought back with a 12-4 run to pull ahead 22-19. As Northern Arizona looked to extend the match, three costly attack errors allowed Weber State to finish the third set at 25-23.
Overall, Northern Arizona recorded a .100 hitting percentage compared to Weber State's .218. Jacobsen led the team with 15 kills, followed by Stoddard with nine and Bloom with seven. Each team posted two service aces, with Moran and Barlow contributing for the Lumberjacks. Bloom totaled three blocks, followed by Greenlee with two. Barlow led in assists with 18, while Keira Hall added 16. Millie O'Ketter notched 19 digs, bringing her season total to 394 and her career digs to 1,824. She needs just 68 more to claim the top spot in the NAU record book. Jacobsen followed with 15 digs, and Stoddard contributed eight.
The Lumberjacks will face Idaho State this Saturday, Nov. 16, at 12:00 p.m. MST. The match will be available to stream on ESPN+.
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