Big Sky Volleyball - A history against nationally-ranked opponents

10/11/2018 1:46:24 PM

Lea Williams

OGDEN, Utah (Oct. 11, 2018) - On the evening of September 7, 2018, Northern Arizona volleyball reminded the athletic universe that volleyball matches are not played on paper. The NAU victory over No. 8 Florida was simply not supposed to happen. However, a win of that magnitude has happened in the Big Sky before. According to available records, current members of the Big Sky Conference have recorded a total of 16 wins over an opponent nationally-ranked in the top 25. At its very core, the concept of overthrowing a national powerhouse is mindboggling, but when it does happen… it’s legendary.

One of the early Big Sky volleyball victories over a nationally-ranked opponent came from an inter-conference battle between Montana and No. 19 Idaho in 1994. It was a different chapter in the volleyball world back then as sets were played to fifteen with side-out scoring instead of the rally-scoring system used today. 

It would be the first meeting of the season between the two conference foes and Montana played host. The Dick Scott-coached Grizzlies took the first, third and fifth sets to claim a 3-2 win over No. 19 Idaho. Montana was led by Karen Goff who racked up 20 kills and six blocks on .255 hitting. The Vandals’ loss would ultimately be one of only three losses during its 1994 campaign (31-3). Montana went on to share the Big Sky regular season crown with Idaho, but later fell to the Vandals in the Big Sky Tournament. However, in 1994 the Big Sky sent both Montana and Idaho to the NCAA Tournament.
 
Idaho, the Big Sky Tournament champions from 1992-1995 had their share of nationally-ranked wins in 1994 as well, with two against Montana and one against No. 21 San Diego. The Vandals were coached by current Colorado State head coach Tom Hilbert during that stretch and were led by players such as Nancy Wicks, Jessica Puckett, Dee Porter, Mindy Rice, Brittany Van Haverbeke, Tzvetelina Yanchulova and Lynne Hyland.   
 
Later in 1996, the same year that Sacramento State joined the Big Sky Conference, a dominant era of Sacramento State volleyball began. Out of the Big Sky’s current membership, Sacramento State has the most wins over top-25 competition, notching six victories since joining the Big Sky.

The first pair of wins came in back-to-back seasons against Pacific in 1996 and 1997. Jill Haas, Carissa Buie and setter Maureen Rafferty paced the Hornets in those years.

Sacramento State landed another blow to the volleyball elite in 1999 when it upset No. 15 Arizona on the road, 3-1. Rafferty once again played a critical role on that team, as well as Angela Lewis. The Hornets won Big Sky Tournament titles in 1997 and 1998.
 
In 1998 history struck again from a different source as Eastern Washington defeated No. 23 Washington on the road, 3-1. That team was led by 1998 Big Sky Player of the Year Kim Exner and head coach Pamela Parks. After a taste of victory in 1998, new head coach Wade Benson and Eastern Washington went on to defeat No. 8 Utah in 2002 and No. 15 Long Beach State in 2003. The defeat of No. 8 Utah, along with the recent NAU win over No. 8 Florida mark the highest-ranked opponents that Big Sky volleyball has knocked off in its 31-year history. The Eagles remained an elite team during the early 2000’s and managed to make eight Big Sky championship match appearances from 1998-2006, winning the tournament title in 2001.

Later on, Sacramento State shocked No. 15 Eastern Washington in the Big Sky championship match in 2002. The Hornets scored two more victories in 2006 and 2007 over No. 25 Long Beach State and No. 14 Cal Poly. All of Sacramento State’s wins over ranked competition as a Big Sky member came during Debby Colberg’s legendary tenure as head coach.

Before the Lumberjacks hosted the eighth-ranked Gators at 7,000 feet inside the Rolle Activity Center in Flagstaff, Ariz., NAU had two wins over nationally-ranked foes. In 1989 the Lumberjacks topped No. 9 Arizona on the road while the 1988 NAU squad bested No. 20 Arizona State at home.

 
Now back to the second game of the Lumberjack Classic on September 7, 2018. Northern Arizona took the first set 25-19 over No. 8 Florida and officially alerted volleyball followers everywhere. The Lumberjacks began with an astounding .405 hitting percentage in set one. Florida responded in the second set with a 25-22 victory, but NAU quickly turned the tables on the 2017 national runners-up with a 25-22 win of their own in set three. Florida continued its resilience in set four to push the match to an exciting fifth set. The match-deciding set saw seven ties and five lead changes before senior outside hitter Kaylie Jorgenson pounded back-to-back kills to the Gator surface, sealing the historic victory.

The win was unbelievable and the accomplishment, like all the others mentioned above, was forever. Even though five current Big Sky members have defeated ranked opponents, there are still six Big Sky teams hungry for their first win over a team of top-25 caliber. That hunger coupled with past successes will further fuel Big Sky volleyball for years to come.

BIG SKY VOLLEYBALL WINS OVER NATIONALLY-RANKED OPPONENTS
Oct. 13, 1988 - Northern Arizona def. No. 20 Arizona State (3-2) - Home
Oct. 30, 1989 - Northern Arizona def. No. 9 Arizona (3-2) – Away
Sept. 16, 1994 - Idaho def. No. 21 San Diego (3-0) – Neutral (San Luis Obispo, Calif.)
Oct. 14, 1994 - Montana def. No. 19 Idaho (3-2) – Home
Nov. 12, 1994 - No. 20 Idaho def. No. 24 Montana (3-1) – Home
Nov. 19, 1994 - No. 19 Idaho def. No. 24 Montana (3-2) – Home#
Sept. 20, 1996 - Sacramento State def. No. 19 Pacific (3-1) - Home
Oct. 21, 1997 - Sacramento State def. No. 13 Pacific (3-0) - Home
Sept. 11, 1998 - Eastern Washington def. No. 23 Washington (3-1) – Away
Sept. 4, 1999 - Sacramento State def. No. 15 Arizona (3-1) - Away
Sept. 13, 2002 - Eastern Washington def. No. 8 Utah (3-0) – Neutral (Boise, Idaho)
Nov. 23, 2002 - Sacramento State def. No. 15 Eastern Washington (3-1) – Away#
Sept. 4, 2003 - Eastern Washington def. No. 15 Long Beach State (3-1) – Away
Sept. 21, 2006 - Sacramento State def. No. 25 Long Beach State (3-0) – Home
Sept. 15, 2007 - Sacramento State def. No. 14 Cal Poly (3-1) – Neutral (San Francisco, Calif.)
Sept. 7, 2018 - Northern Arizona def. No. 8 Florida (3-2) - Home
# Big Sky Conference Tournament

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