September 12, 2015
Northern Arizona outlasts Tech in five-set thriller
Three Hokies recorded double-doubles in the matchup
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Northern Arizona (7-2) 23252025153
Virginia Tech (6-2) 25192523132
  • Bloomington, Ind. - 156

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. –Valiant effort by the Virginia Tech volleyball team could not overcome the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks on Saturday morning, as the Hokies were handed a heartbreaking five-set loss in the Indiana Invitational.

Despite the decision, the Hokies outhit the Lumberjacks in each set, including .247-.211 overall. The Hokies drop to 6-2 in the season, while the Lumberjacks improve to 7-2.

The Amanda McKinzie-Lindsey Owens pair struck again, leading the team with a double-double each. McKinzie downed 17 kills while both Owens and Kennedy Bryan tallied 11. Bryan went 11-for 24 with five blocks through the matchup. Katie Krueger added eight kills, while Ashley Battle and Cara Cunningham owned the net, each tallying seven kills, and five and six blocks, respectively. Setter Kyra Coundourides recorded her fourth career double-double. Libero Kenedy McGrath collected a career-record of 25 digs in the five-set contest.

Northern Arizona’s Janae Vander Ploeg paced the Lumberjacks to victory with a team-high, 20 kills. Lauren Jacobsen registered a double-double with 17 kills and 15 digs in the squad’s win.

Northern Arizona jumped on the board first with a decisive 6-0 lead. A Hokies’ timeout changed the pace of the offense as McKinzie and Jaila Tolbert put the Hokies on the board. Battle downed two kills to tie up the match at 18-all. Bryan and McKinzie returned to the court striking two down, forcing the Lumberjacks to take their second timeout. Kills by McKinzie and Owens closed out the comeback win in the first set, 25-23.

Back-and-forth action began from the get-go of the second frame as neither squad had more than a two-point lead. The Hokies brought the score within one after the Lumberjacks pulled away with a four-point margin. However, Northern Arizona prevailed, coming away with a 25-19 decision in set two.

The Hokies settled in for the third set, maintaining the lead throughout the frame. Katie Krueger tallied two blocks in the stanza to hold back the Lumberjacks’ offense. Tech maintained the narrow three-point margin late in the stanza, securing the win, 25-20.

Set four mirrored the second with constant lead changes throughout match with 13 tie scores. Once the match evened up at 23-all, the Lumberjacks closed out the frame with two unanswered points in their fourth set result, 25-23.

The Hokies and Lumberjacks picked up right where they left off with the score even until eight. Northern Arizona scored downed three unanswered points forcing a Tech timeout. Krueger, Owens, and McKinzie each notched a kill but the Lumberjacks walked away with the win, 15-13.

Virginia Tech takes the court later today against Bowling Green to close out the Indiana Invitational at 5 p.m.

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