GREELEY, CO. — Idaho State volleyball delivered one of the biggest postseason upsets in Big Sky Conference history Monday afternoon, rallying past top-seeded Northern Arizona 3–2 (25–20, 18–25, 23–25, 25–23, 15–5) in the quarterfinals of the Big Sky Tournament. With the victory, the Bengals became the first No. 8 seed ever to defeat a No. 1 seed in the opening round, rewriting decades of Big Sky history and advancing to the semifinals for the second straight season.
It also marked the second straight season Idaho State has eliminated Northern Arizona in the first round, and the win extended ISU's streak to three straight five-set victories, all coming in the final weeks of the season as the Bengals hit their strongest stride.
Head Coach Sean Carter described the win as "amazing," praising the Bengals for delivering their most complete match of the season against the conference's top team. "We executed everything we needed to beat a worthy champion," Carter said. "They only lost three conference matches all year. We had to keep up offensively, and we did. To be the first eight to beat a one… incredible."
The Bengals showcased remarkable balance, with five players reaching double-digit kills, something Carter noted as a defining breakthrough of the team's late-season development. "I don't even remember the last time we had five players in double digits," he said. "That's who we want to be — serve, block, dig, spread the ball."
After dropping sets two and three, Carter urged the team to tighten passing and trust their middles. "Both teams were hitting over .300," he noted. "We needed to pass tighter to keep our middles involved. Our girls gritted their teeth and found a way." The Bengals responded with a composed 25–23 fourth-set victory before unleashing their most dominant set of the year.
Idaho State stormed out to an 8–1 lead in the fifth set, fueled by targeted serving, sharp defensive anticipation, and near-flawless transition play. "We keyed on specific matchups and got it right early," Carter said. "We got perfect double blocks, forced them into tips, and converted everything. It felt like we were smothering them."
The Bengals out-hit NAU .391 to –.050 in the final set, closing the match on a decisive 7–3 run.
Much of ISU's success came through the middle attack. Marci Bell tied her career high with 17 kills, hitting .467 while adding six blocks. "Marci was unbelievable," Carter said. "NAU has shut down our middles for years — tonight we finally broke through."
Annelie Wilson delivered one of the most efficient and complete postseason performances in recent ISU history, tying her career highs in kills (16) and digs (16) while swinging 42 times without a single hitting error. Her error-free .381 attack percentage and two-way reliability anchored ISU in high-pressure moments.
Jaydin Watts added 15 kills on .371, and Brinley Smith supplied 11 critical kills, particularly late in the fourth and fifth sets. Senior Meline Shulikov provided essential two-way stability with 11 kills, 14 digs, and four blocks.
Freshman setter Nora Waddoups ran the offense at an elite level, setting a new career high with 63 assists, while adding 15 digs, three aces, and seven total points. "Her distribution was huge," Carter said. "We don't want to set just one player, and she spread the ball beautifully. And her digging was just as important."
Libero Jenna Werbelow was exceptional with 28 digs, including a crucial service run to open the fifth set that gave ISU early separation. "Jenna's service run gave us the gap early," Carter noted. "We had five players in double-digit digs — that's the defensive identity we want."
When the final point dropped, Idaho State had completed a historic upset — another postseason chapter written at Northern Arizona's expense.
Bengal Bites
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Idaho State becomes the first No. 8 seed ever to defeat a No. 1 seed in the Big Sky quarterfinals.
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It is the second straight season ISU has eliminated Northern Arizona in the first round.
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The Bengals have now won three straight five-set matches, their longest such streak of the season.
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ISU hit .298 and held NAU to .245, including –.050 in the fifth set.
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Marci Bell tied her career high with 17 kills (.467).
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Annelie Wilson tied her career highs in kills (16) and digs (16) and recorded zero hitting errors on 42 attempts.
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Nora Waddoups set a new career high with 63 assists.
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Werbelow led the match with 28 digs, and five Bengals reached double-digit digs.
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Idaho State advances to the Big Sky semifinals for the second straight season.
Up Next
Idaho State advances to face No. 4 seed Weber State in the Big Sky semifinals tomorrow evening at 4:00 p.m. Carter expects another intense clash. "Weber is a championship-pedigree team," he said. "They're older, experienced, and they've seen us a lot. It'll be another Idaho State–Weber State knockout, drag-out — just like they always are."
