Box Score FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (October 9, 2025) - The Northern Arizona volleyball team bounced back in a big way Thursday night, defeating Portland State 3-1 (26-24, 20-25, 25-17, 25-13) inside the Rolle Activity Center. The Lumberjacks (13-5, 3-2 Big Sky) used a balanced attack and dominant blocking to hand the Vikings (6-9, 2-2) their second straight conference loss.
The opening set was a rollercoaster that saw NAU build an early 7-2 lead behind Hanah Stoddard's powerful hitting and a service ace from Keira Hall. Portland State clawed back with a 9-0 run late in the set to take the lead 22-20. The Lumberjacks regrouped and capitalized on a late Viking attack error and another Hall ace to clinch the set, 26-24. Stoddard led the way with six kills on .455 hitting, while the Jacks' front line tallied four team blocks.
The second frame was neck-and-neck through the first half before Portland State seized momentum midway through. Despite service aces from Stoddard and a solid showing from Avery Gottschalk at the net, NAU struggled with errors late, allowing the Vikings to pull away for a 25-20 win. The Jacks hit just .048 in the set, their lowest efficiency of the night, as PSU evened the match at one set apiece.
Northern Arizona came out strong in the third, jumping ahead 7-2 thanks to kills from Stoddard, Gigi Greenlee, and Sophia Wadsworth. The Lumberjack block took control, denying Portland State at the net and forcing multiple attack errors. NAU never looked back, hitting an impressive .346 and cruising to a 25-17 victory. Wadsworth was particularly effective with five kills and several key blocks, while setter Ella Hosfeld spread the offense efficiently.
With the crowd behind them, NAU closed the match in commanding fashion. The Lumberjacks raced to a 7-3 advantage and extended it to double digits behind the consistent play of Kylie Moran and Laney Wilson. Moran contributed three kills in the frame, while Greenlee and Stoddard sealed the deal with timely swings and solid defense. The Jacks hit .429 as a team and closed out the set 25-13 with a 6-1 run, including Hall's third service ace of the night.
"I thought the first two sets were really hard, and we struggled to keep our composure in some elements," head coach Ken Murphy said. "I was really impressed by our ability to regroup and play two really good sets at the end. This is a tough group and I was proud of their adaptability in making that change."
Stoddard led the attack with 14 kills, a .263 hitting percentage, two service aces and 11 digs for her 16th double-double of the season. Greenlee followed with 11 kills and four blocks, while Wadsworth contributed eight kills and a team-high six blocks alongside Gottschalk.. The setting duo of Hosfeld and Hall kept the offense running smoothly with 22 and 20 assists, respectively, as Hall also tallied a match-high three aces. Moran finished with six kills and a team-high 13 digs. Defensively, NAU out-blocked Portland State 11-5, dominating the net in the final two sets.
The 'Jacks will face Sacramento State this Saturday Oct. 11 at 1 p.m. MST. Tickets can be found here and the match will be streamed live on ESPN+. Live stats can be found here.
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