Volleyball drops league home opener to NAU
10/1/2004 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
The University of Montana volleyball team lost its Big Sky Conference home opener on Friday night in four games to Northern Arizona, 40-42, 30-26, 28-30, 22-30. The Grizzlies, who host Sacramento State on Saturday night, dropped to 3-10 overall, 0-3 in league play. The Lumberjacks improved to 3-9 overall, 1-1 in league play.
The tone for the tight match was set in game one when Northern Arizona fought off two game points at 29-27 and 29-28 to force the game into extra play. Montana then failed to capitalize on five more match points before NAU scored the final three points of the game to win 42-40.
Game two was tight early on and tied at 14 when the Grizzlies went on a 6-0 run to take control. Junior Audrey Jensen had three kills in the spurt.
NAU rallied from the six-point deficit and pulled within two points on seven occasions, but Montana held on for a 30-26 win.
Game three was back-and-forth. The Lumberjacks led early, but the Grizzlies scored four quick points to take a 13-9 lead midway through. They maintained the lead until Northern Arizona rallied to tie the score at 24-24. UM scored the next two points to take a 26-24 lead, but NAU scored four straight points and took the game, 30-28.
The Grizzlies scored the first point of game four on a freshman Micaela Parker kill, but that would be their only lead of the game. Northern Arizona opened up a 10-2 lead and Montana would not get closer than four points the rest of the way. The Lumberjacks' Kailee Savage had five kills down the stretch to help NAU keep its lead.
Montana had five players with at least nine kills, led by Jensen's 16. Jensen hit a team-high .273 and tied for the team lead with five blocks. Parker had 13 kills.
Sophomore Claudia Houle had nine kills before exiting the match late in game three. Sophomore EvaLyn Whitehead and freshman Jessica Petersen also had nine kills.
Junior Diana Thompson had 42 assists, Parker had a team-high three service aces.
Houle led Montana with 17 digs. Junior Ashley Gorham had 16 and freshman Jackie White added 16.
Jensen and Houle both had five blocks, with Houle picking up three solo blocks. Thompson and Petersen both had four blocks.
Butterfield had 25 kills on the night on 70 attacks to lead the Lumberjacks. Kelly Verboom had 61 assists, Marie Pastores had 17 digs and Renee Lathrop had nine blocks.
NAU hit .187 to Montana's .085 and led the blocking battle, 17.0 to 13.0.
The tone for the tight match was set in game one when Northern Arizona fought off two game points at 29-27 and 29-28 to force the game into extra play. Montana then failed to capitalize on five more match points before NAU scored the final three points of the game to win 42-40.
Game two was tight early on and tied at 14 when the Grizzlies went on a 6-0 run to take control. Junior Audrey Jensen had three kills in the spurt.
NAU rallied from the six-point deficit and pulled within two points on seven occasions, but Montana held on for a 30-26 win.
Game three was back-and-forth. The Lumberjacks led early, but the Grizzlies scored four quick points to take a 13-9 lead midway through. They maintained the lead until Northern Arizona rallied to tie the score at 24-24. UM scored the next two points to take a 26-24 lead, but NAU scored four straight points and took the game, 30-28.
The Grizzlies scored the first point of game four on a freshman Micaela Parker kill, but that would be their only lead of the game. Northern Arizona opened up a 10-2 lead and Montana would not get closer than four points the rest of the way. The Lumberjacks' Kailee Savage had five kills down the stretch to help NAU keep its lead.
Montana had five players with at least nine kills, led by Jensen's 16. Jensen hit a team-high .273 and tied for the team lead with five blocks. Parker had 13 kills.
Sophomore Claudia Houle had nine kills before exiting the match late in game three. Sophomore EvaLyn Whitehead and freshman Jessica Petersen also had nine kills.
Junior Diana Thompson had 42 assists, Parker had a team-high three service aces.
Houle led Montana with 17 digs. Junior Ashley Gorham had 16 and freshman Jackie White added 16.
Jensen and Houle both had five blocks, with Houle picking up three solo blocks. Thompson and Petersen both had four blocks.
Butterfield had 25 kills on the night on 70 attacks to lead the Lumberjacks. Kelly Verboom had 61 assists, Marie Pastores had 17 digs and Renee Lathrop had nine blocks.
NAU hit .187 to Montana's .085 and led the blocking battle, 17.0 to 13.0.
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