MISSOULA, Mont. (November 5, 2026) - Northern Arizona volleyball secured the season-series sweep over the Montana Grizzlies on Thursday night, rallying from an opening-set loss to earn a 3-1 victory at Dahlberg Arena (23-25, 25-17, 25-15, 25-19). The Lumberjacks improve to 16-9 overall and 9-4 in Big Sky play with five regular-season matches remaining, while Montana falls to 7-17 overall and 3-10 in conference play.
Hanah Stoddard led NAU offensively with a match-high 15 kills, adding 12 digs to contribute on both sides of the ball. Quincey Coyle followed with 12 kills and recorded a double-double with a team-second-best 18 digs. Coyle also added two service aces and four blocks. Avery Gottschalk contributed nine kills while hitting an impressive .500, committing just one attack error on 16 attempts. Gigi Greenlee led the Lumberjacks at the net with eight blocks, including one solo block, while Lauren Edlund added five block assists.
Ella Hosfeld and Taryn Davis paced the offense with 18 assists apiece, while Kate Federico anchored the back row with a match-high 25 digs. NAU's defensive effort at the net proved particularly important, as the Lumberjacks recorded 14 total team blocks compared to Montana's three. NAU also finished with 51 kills while hitting .255, holding the Grizzlies to a .114 hitting percentage.
Montana established control early in the opening set, building an 8-4 advantage before NAU began chipping away at the deficit. Coyle, Stoddard and Gottschalk helped spark the Lumberjacks' response, while Greenlee and Coyle teamed up for a key block to keep NAU within reach. The Lumberjacks gradually worked their way back into the contest, eventually tying the score at 18-18 on a kill from Masina Perez. The teams continued trading points, with Greenlee and Gottschalk delivering timely kills to help NAU remain even at 22-22. However, Montana edged ahead in the closing moments, taking three straight points to claim the opening set 25-23.
NAU answered with a strong second-set performance, overcoming an early 8-2 deficit with a decisive 13-2 scoring surge to take a 15-10 lead. Coyle helped ignite the comeback with a kill and service ace before the Lumberjacks' blocking game took over. Stoddard, Gottschalk and Edlund combined for several important blocks, forcing Montana into a series of attacking errors. Federico also helped fuel the run with steady defensive play as NAU turned the momentum in its favor. The Lumberjacks continued to apply pressure, with Davis recording a service ace and Coyle, Perez and Gottschalk contributing key kills. NAU closed the set with another block from Gottschalk and Edlund, capping a 25-17 victory to even the match at one set apiece. The Lumberjacks' defense held Montana to a -.023 hitting percentage in the frame.
The Lumberjacks carried that momentum into the third set, producing their most dominant offensive performance of the night. After the teams traded the opening points, Davis sparked a six-point scoring run with a pair of service aces, helping NAU to a 7-1 advantage. Coyle added consecutive kills during the stretch, while Greenlee and Edlund combined for a block to further disrupt Montana's offense. Federico then stepped to the service line and helped extend the lead, as NAU pushed its advantage to 15-4. The Lumberjacks continued to find success offensively, with Stoddard, Gottschalk and Edlund delivering timely kills to keep Montana at bay. NAU finished the set with 17 kills on just two errors, hitting an impressive .429 to secure a commanding 25-15 win and take a 2-1 match lead.
Montana looked to extend the match in the fourth set, building an early advantage and eventually pulling ahead 18-14. The Lumberjacks remained composed, however, and began chipping away at the deficit behind Coyle and Greenlee at the net. Coyle sparked the comeback with a service ace, followed by consecutive kills from Stoddard and Greenlee to bring NAU even at 18-18. After Montana briefly reclaimed the lead, Stoddard answered with another kill to tie the score at 19-19. From there, the Lumberjacks took control, scoring six unanswered points to close out the match. Federico contributed a service ace during the decisive stretch, while Gottschalk delivered a kill to put all the pressure on the Griz. A final attack error by UM completed the 25-19 victory for the 'Jacks. NAU finished the fourth set without committing a single attack error, hitting .324 to put away the Grizzlies and secure the four-set win.
The Lumberjacks will face Montana State on Saturday, Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. MST. The match will be available to stream on ESPN+.
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