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POCATELLO, Idaho – The Idaho State volleyball team lost for the first time at home this season, falling in three sets to the visiting Lumberjacks of Northern Arizona. With the loss, NAU moves into sole possession of first place in the South Division, and ISU drops to second.
"Tonight they were tougher than we were," said Head Coach
Rick Reynolds. "They executed their game plan with a little more confidence than we did and it showed."
Senior outside hitter
Tressa Lyman and senior middle blocker
Makenzie Filer led ISU with eight kills apiece, while junior outside hitter
Bailey Bars registered a team-high 14 digs and junior setter
Hayley Farrer added 11.
The Bengals (17-8, 9-2 BSC) struggled at the net against the 'Jacks, finishing the match with a .122 hitting percentage and 21 attacking errors. As a result, ISU was unable to find its rhythm the entire match, starting with a 25-17 first set loss. The Bengals nearly matched NAU's kill total with 10 to the 'Jacks 13, but NAU (20-4, 10-1 BSC) was more efficient in its hitting in the first set with a .256 hitting percentage to ISU's .049. NAU finished the first set on a 9-3 run to claim the first set.
The second set was neck-and-neck for its entirety, featuring five lead changes and 13 ties. The Bengals started on a high note with a monster kill from Filer. NAU made a short 4-1 run to take a 4-2 lead, and ISU responded with a short run of its own. This back-and-forth play dictated the entire set with neither team leading by more than three points. The Bengals tied it up 24-all following a Lyman kill. NAU responded with two straight kills to claim the set 26-24.
Following the break, it was NAU that started quick, racing to a 4-1 lead before ISU responded with two straight kills, one from Bars and one from Lyman to cut the lead to one, 4-3. However, the Bengals were unable to close the gap, and NAU maintained a comfortable three-point lead for the majority of the third. ISU fell behind by six, 11-16, following a hitting error by Filer, forcing Reynolds to call a timeout. Following the timeout, ISU cut NAU's lead to three, 18-15, following two kills from Lyman and a service ace from Filer. The 'Jacks closed the set on a 7-4 run to claim the third set 25-19 and sweep the Bengals.
"They're a good team," Reynolds said. "We're a good team. We're a good team and we know how to work and we'll come in and work. We've shown it match in and match out. Teams are allowed occasionally to not play at their best. Tonight we didn't play at our best and it showed. We'll get better."
The Bengals return to the floor Saturday, Oct. 31 as they host Southern Utah at 7 p.m. at Reed Gym.
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