GRAND FORKS, N.D. – The Vikings were eliminated from the 2016 Big Sky Volleyball Tournament presented by Red Lion Hotels by the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks, in straight sets, Thursday afternoon in Grand Forks, N.D.
 
Northern Arizona (23-7 overall) defeated Portland State (17-12) by scores of 25-18, 25-10, and 25-22.
 
The Vikings struggled offensively from the get-go against the Lumberjacks. They hit .064 (28-21-109) for the match, while the 'Jacks hit .284 (39-6-116). Northern Arizona controlled play at the net with 11.0 blocks in the match.
 
Senior OH Pati Anae led the Vikings with 10 kills in the match. She added nine digs and a service ace in the loss. Her 10 kills moved her into fifth on Portland State's Division I era (1996-present) single-season kills list with 473.
 
Junior L Tasha Bojanic continued her solid defensive play against the Lumberjacks, with a match-high 22 digs Thursday. In three matches against NAU this season, she tallied 86 digs for a 7.17 digs per set mark.
 
Bojanic tallied 579 total digs this season, which moved her into second all-time for a single-season at Portland State. Her 4.89 digs per set mark this season is second on PSU's Division I single-season list.
 
The score bounced back and forth through the early stages of the opening set. With the score tied at 11-11, Northern Arizona went on a 7-1 run to go up 18-12. Portland State cut the lead to four points at 21-17 before NAU took four of the next five points to take the first set 25-18.
 
Northern Arizona tallied four aces and four blocks in the opening set, while hitting .333. The 'Jacks held the Vikings to a .103 hitting mark in the first.
 
Tied 3-3 in the second set, Portland State got stuck in a bad rotation as Northern Arizona went on an 8-0 run to go up 11-3. The Lumberjacks extended their lead throughout the rest of the set before taking it 25-10 to go up 2-0.
 
Portland State and Northern Arizona played a very close third set that saw 13 ties and six lead changes. Tied at 19-19, NAU scored back-to-back points to go up 21-19. The teams traded points to 22-21 before the Lumberjacks took three of the final four points to take the third 25-22.
 
NAU's Lauren Jacobsen led all players with 11 kills. She hit .225 for the match and added 10 digs for a double-double. Four Lumberjacks recorded double-digit digs, all with 10.
 
Portland State's tournament hopes ended with the loss, while Northern Arizona advances to take on Sacramento State in the first semifinal match Friday afternoon.