The Vandals got their first victory against Northern Arizona University since 2017, snapping their 7-game losing streak and got their first Big Sky Conference win of the season. All a day’s work for this explosive Vandals Volleyball team.
The third and final game of this away stretch for the Vandals nets the team their first conference win with a 3-1 win over the Lumberjacks. The veteran leadership from graduate student outside hitter Allison Munday was felt as she scored every set point for Idaho. Junior middle blocker Travel Morris led both teams in blocks and came out with strong defensive plays throughout the first set. However, the veterans weren’t the only ones putting in the work as freshmen outside hitter Taryn Vrieling finished the series leading the team with 17 kills.
After a 3-0 loss against Northern Colorado, the Vandals had different goals in mind against NAU. Munday swooped in for the first points of the game with a quick tip at the net that led to a kill that couldn’t be recovered by NAU. Despite the hot start from Idaho, NAU took set one 25-21.
The youth of the team can be a gift and a curse as Idaho can build explosive leads off their outside hitters like Munday, Vrieling and defensive anchor Morris while also making many mistakes leaving the team in a lurch as their leads dwindle away.
Set two was neck-and-neck throughout the early game. Offense continued to help Idaho on their way to victory, but defensive plays at the net by both Munday and Morris would see the team’s run stay alive throughout the second set. The defense from both the Vandals and Lumberjacks led the teams to make repeated small mistakes and hitting errors.
The Vandal’s defense, helmed by Morris, was one of the major factors that kept the game out of reach from NAU. During set two, NAU’s Kacee Moore was blocked three times in a row by the combined efforts of freshmen middle blocker Julia Dickenson and senior setter Hailey Pelton.
While Idaho commanded the majority of set two, it came down to the wire. Freshmen outside hitter Olivia Gloeckner came alive near the end as she got a kill at the net to make the Vandals lead 22-18. By this time freshman libero Aine Doty had 11 digs and Morris kept up her show of force at the net, setting up match-point for the Vandals at 24-19. NAU wouldn’t go down easy though, getting back-to-back service aces to roar right back to life at 24-22. The Vandals ended the 3-0 run as Munday responded back with her own ferocity, getting the match point with ease.
Morris wasted no time to start set three, she blocked Elder to score the first point of the set. Even though she hadn’t been involved in the offense for some time, Vrieling also contributed with her effortless attacks.
NAU took an early 5-6 lead against the Vandals, but Morris got Idaho’s eighth block of the night to tie the game up at 6-6. Sensing the momentum shift, Munday went for the kill but got blocked by Moore as she got NAU’s second block of the night. Again, Idaho’s explosiveness is their own Achilles heel. Morris, overeager in her exemplary blocking, went too far over the net to give NAU the 10-8 lead. Near the end of set three, both teams committed services errors that tied the set up at 21-21. Munday ended set three with two kills that lead to the 25-23 set win and 2-1 set lead.
Idaho triumphally claimed set four 25-17 behind Morris’ 11 blocks. Vrieling led the game in kills with 17 as she became unstoppable by the end of the game. Munday was right behind her with 13 of her own and was able to finish set four like the other two sets with a kill right after a block by Morris. The pair used their veteran leadership to bring this team over its slump. The Vandals will return home to Memorial Gym to face off against Montana State University on Oct. 27 at 6 p.m. They return to defend Memorial Gym on Oct. 29 against the University of Montana.
Ricky Simmons can be reached at [email protected]