FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (October 8, 2026) - Northern Arizona volleyball kicked off its home series against the Montana schools with a 3-1 victory over Montana State on Thursday night.
Hanah Stoddard led NAU offensively with 17 kills, followed by Quincey Coyle with 13 and Gigi Greenlee with eight. Avery Gottschalk contributed seven kills while leading the Lumberjacks with a .462 hitting percentage, and Greenlee hit .350. Ella Hosfeld and Taryn Davis each recorded two service aces, and shared the team lead with 25 assists each, with Hosfeld also recording 10 digs for a double-double. Coyle added 12 digs to her 13 kills for a double-double of her own, while Kate Federico led the defensive effort with 14 digs. Gottschalk and Greenlee paced NAU at the net with five blocks apiece and Masina Perez added four blocks. As a team, NAU hit .269 and recorded 12 total blocks in the four-set victory.
NAU opened the match with a hard-fought 25-23 first-set victory, navigating a tightly contested frame that featured four lead changes. The Lumberjacks stayed within striking distance throughout before finding their rhythm late. With the score tied at 23, Laney Wilson delivered a kill to put NAU ahead, and Greenlee followed with a kill to close out the set. Gottschalk contributed three kills and three block assists in the opening frame, while Stoddard added six kills to help the Lumberjacks take an early lead.
"Montana State played a nearly flawless first set offensively," head coach Ken Murphy said. "We had to really dig deep to hold them off."
The Lumberjacks carried that momentum into the second set, hitting .325 with just one attack error to secure a 25-22 win. NAU built an early advantage behind kills from Stoddard, Wilson and Coyle, taking a 7-4 lead. Montana State battled back to even the score at 19, but NAU responded with a timely push. Stoddard and Wilson helped the Lumberjacks regain control late, with Wilson delivering a key kill for a 24-21 advantage before Gottschalk finished the set with another kill. The victory gave NAU a 2-0 lead in the match.
Montana State responded in the third set, edging NAU 27-25 in extra points to keep the match alive. The Lumberjacks overcame an early deficit and used kills from Coyle and Greenlee, along with a service ace from Hosfeld, to take a 12-10 lead. The teams traded points through a back-and-forth finish, with NAU rallying to tie the score at 24-24. Stoddard then delivered a kill to put the Lumberjacks ahead 25-24, but Montana State answered with three consecutive points to claim the set. NAU was held to a .128 hitting percentage in the frame, its lowest of the match.
NAU responded in the fourth set, hitting .316 to close out the match with a 25-19 victory. The Lumberjacks established early control with a 7-3 run fueled by Stoddard's attacking and a service ace from Davis. NAU maintained its advantage throughout, extending the lead to 15-11 behind kills from Stoddard, Coyle and Perez. The Lumberjacks' blocking effort helped limit Montana State's opportunities, with Greenlee and Perez combining for key blocks late in the set. Stoddard delivered the final kill to secure the set and seal NAU's 3-1 victory.
"We are looking forward to playing another great team on Saturday against Montana," Murphy said. "What's great about these conference matches is that every night is a challenge. Our team likes to play with other tough teams and we know we will have our work cut out for us, so we are excited."
The win moved NAU to 10-7 overall and 3-2 in Big Sky Conference play, while Montana State moved to 10-6 and 3-2 also.
The 'Jacks will face Montana on Saturday at 11 a.m. MST in Rolle Activity Center. The match will be available to stream live on ESPN+.
Stay up to date with the Northern Arizona women's volleyball team by following the 'Jacks on Instagram and X.
