FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (Nov. 24, 2024) – The Lumberjacks celebrated senior day with a commanding sweep over Idaho last night, concluding their regular season with a straight-set victory of 25-11, 25-9, 25-13. With this win, NAU finished the season at 14-13 overall and 7-9 in Big Sky Conference play.
"It's great to win on senior day. We had a solid plan and executed it very well - it was exciting to see the team carry it out from start to finish," head coach Ken Murphy said. "I'm incredibly grateful for our fans who came out to support our seniors. Many of them know the players personally and have supported them throughout their careers. The crowd was loud tonight, and it will be a lasting memory for our seniors. I'm extremely thankful to our fans."
The victory also marked Murphy's 200th win as the head coach of the Lumberjack volleyball program.
Taylor Jacobsen, Millie O'Ketter, Savannah Bloom, Courtney Oilar, and Kendall Robertson were all honored as part of the graduating class of Lumberjacks.
The Lumberjacks started strong with a 7-0 run in the first set. Jacobsen contributed four kills during the surge, while O'Ketter recorded the first service ace of the night. Idaho managed a brief 3-1 run to bring the score to 8-3, but NAU responded with six straight points, highlighted by kills from Robertson, Hanah Stoddard, and Bloom, along with an ace by Jacobsen. With the score at 23-11, the 'Jacks closed the set with a Robertson kill and Jacobsen's deciding ace for a 25-11 victory. NAU posted a strong .389 hitting percentage in the opening set.
The second set began more evenly, with Idaho leading briefly at 4-3. However, a 7-0 run by the 'Jacks established a six-point advantage. The Lumberjacks continued to dominate, widening the gap to 19-8. A kill from Oilar sparked a 6-1 run, which included multiple kills from Stoddard and Jacobsen, sealing the set at 25-9. The Lumberjacks maintained a .367 hitting percentage in the second frame.
In the third set, NAU quickly built a 9-3 lead, thanks to three consecutive kills by Jacobsen and an ace from Melia Barlow. An ace by Robertson extended the lead to 14-4. Idaho rallied with an 8-2 run to narrow the score to 16-11, but the Lumberjacks closed the match with a decisive 7-1 run. The set ended 25-13, with Northern Arizona achieving its highest hitting percentage of the night at .408.
Jacobsen led the offense with 14 kills, bringing her career total to 1,384 - now the second-highest in NAU history. Stoddard contributed nine kills, while Bloom added eight. Five Lumberjacks accounted for the team's eight service aces: Jacobsen tallied three, Barlow had two, and O'Ketter, Stoddard, and Robertson each recorded one.
Jacobsen and O'Ketter are now tied for the most career aces in program history, each with 124. O'Ketter also had nine digs, bringing her career total to 1,867, just 25 shy of surpassing Anna Gott's school record of 1,891.Â
Barlow notched a double-double with 19 assists and 11 digs, while Keira Hall contributed 16 assists. Greenlee added two blocks, with Jacobsen and Bloom each recording one.
Northern Arizona had an overall hitting percentage of .387 compared to Idaho's .023.
"I'm so thankful to have played in Rolle all these years, and I can't believe it's over, but I'm ready for the conference tournament," O'Ketter said. "I'm excited that we have more games ahead. As a team, we're playing some of the best volleyball we've played all year, and we're ready to put up a fight against the other teams. Being a Lumberjack has been the biggest blessing in my life. I'm so glad I stayed loyal to this program, my coaches and my teammates over the past five years. Let's go on a run at the tournament!"
The Lumberjacks will travel to Sacramento State for the Big Sky Conference Tournament, scheduled from Nov. 27-29. NAU will face Idaho State in the first round on Nov. 27 at 3:00 p.m. Mountain Standard time, with the winner advancing to the semifinals.
Live stats for the match can be accessed here, and all tournament games will be streamed on ESPN+.
For updates on the Northern Arizona women's volleyball team, follow on X, Instagram, and Facebook.
