FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (November 9, 2026) – The Northern Arizona soccer team begins the 2026 Big Sky Championships this week as the third seed and will take on No. 6 Idaho State in the quarterfinals in Missoula, Montana.
The Lumberjacks will kickoff against the Bengals on Wednesday, Nov. 11 at 10:30 am MST. The contest will be streamed on ESPN+, with live stats available via Statbroadcast.
NAU finished the regular season with an 8-6-5 record, including a 4-2-3 mark in conference games. It is the 13th season the Lumberjacks have finished in the top three or better of the league, and the 11th straight year qualifying for the conference tournament, the longest active stretch by any Big Sky team.
Micala Boex leads the attack with seven goals and five assists on the season. She ranks first in the conference in shots per game (5.33), and shots on goal per game (2.17), and has climbed the ladder in the NAU record books this season. Her assist against Idaho State on Oct. 29 placed her seventh all-time in assists (14), while she also became the seventh Lumberjack soccer player to record 50 or more points in a career.
Valerie Llamas, however, led the way in league action this season, recording a team-best four goals and one assist.
Lexi Saveski has started in all but one game in goal for NAU and owns a save percentage of 0.840 and a GAA of 0.91 to rank second in the conference.
NAU's matchup with Idaho State this season resulted in a 2-2 tie for the second consecutive year, extending an unbeaten streak with the Bengals going back to 2012. The 'Jacks found themselves in a 2-0 halftime deficit, and rallied for a pair of second-half goals to force the draw. NAU is 3-1 in neutral locations against ISU, and last faced the Bengals in the Big Sky Championships in the final match of 2014, when NAU took a 2-1 win to secure its third Big Sky tournament title. The Lumberjacks own a 16-4-4 overall record in the Big Sky Championships.
The Bengals clinched the sixth and final seed in the postseason for their first appearance since 2023, finishing with a 4-9-5 record and 2-4-3 mark in league games. Saydree Cook and Samantha Fenske have each tallied a trio of goals, while Cook has recorded a team-leading four assists for 10 points. Defensively, ISU ranks last in goals allowed (44) and GAA (2.32), but goalkeeper Aliya Garret compiled four shutouts and a 1.58 GAA in conference matches. The Bengals will look to respond from a 9-1 loss to Weber State in the regular season finale and are seeking their sixth Big Sky tournament title in program history.
The winner of the contest will meet No. 2 Northern Colorado in the semifinals on Friday, Nov. 13.
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