Error management and maintaining a solid attack percentage was a struggle in the Idaho volleyball team’s first road game in Big Sky Conference play.
Northern Arizona defeated Idaho 3-1 (17-25, 22-25, 26-24, 19-25) Thursday in Flagstaff, Arizona.
After earning a career-high 20 kills in a 3-2 loss against North Dakota Saturday, senior outside hitter Tineke Bierma followed it up with 15 kills. It’s Bierma’s fifth match of the season in which she earned 10 or more kills.
Both setters Meredith Coba (20) and Natalie Jensen (23) earned 20 or more assists against the Lumberjacks. Senior defensive specialist Jenna Ellis led the team in digs with 22.
Idaho coach Debbie Buchanan said Idaho battled and made several changes throughout the match.
“We just need to make sure as we get into the game, can we make adjustments a little quicker?” Buchanan said. “Once we do make those adjustments can we really push forward and play consistent and not try to do too much, but just play steady?”
Idaho was unable to keep up with the Lumberjacks in the opening set.
The Vandals led for most of the second set until the Lumberjacks’ Payton Bock turned things around for Northern Arizona. The Lumberjacks ultimately took the lead near the end en route to another set win.
The Vandals kept the game alive by winning the third set, which concluded with a kill by redshirt freshman outside hitter Kaela Straw. Idaho’s third-set win prevented a Lumberjack sweep and the match continued into the fourth set.
“They did a great job on setting the ball wide,” Buchanan said. “As we went, our blockers did a great job on taking (Northern Arizona’s kill attempt) away.”
Northern Arizona won the final set to clinch the victory over the Vandals.
Janae Vander Ploeg earned 23 kills but also had 13 attack errors, leading both categories.
“We just had too many errors with our passing,” Buchanan said. “Just a little inconsistency and trying to do more than we need to and we couldn’t get into a rhythm.”
Idaho ended the match with a .161 attack percentage to Northern Arizona’s .201. Idaho committed 36 errors to the Lumberjacks’ 34.
With the Vandals now 1-2 in the conference and 4-11 overall, they’ll look to turn things around this weekend in Cheney, Washington. Idaho plays Eastern Washington at 6 p.m. Saturday at Reese Court.
Buchanan said the team needs to play its game more steadily in order to beat the Eagles.
“We have to play our game … We’re gonna have to go back and really make the push to be more consistent,” Buchanan said.
Luis Torres can be reached at [email protected]