Up until the past week, it’s been a special season for the Idaho State volleyball team. The Bengals hadn’t lost more than one match in a row and were hanging around the top of the Big Sky Conference standings.

But beginning with a loss at Weber State last week, and followed by two consecutive home loses this week, to Northern Colorado and Northern Arizona, the Bengals have hit a bump in the road.

On Saturday, ISU fell on Senior Day to NAU, 14-25, 25-22, 22-25, 25-15, 9-15. The loss drops ISU to fourth in the conference standings at 9-5, a half-game behind third-place Sacramento State, and to 18-8 overall. NAU is eighth in the conference standings at 5-9, 12-13 overall.

“NAU was the better team,” said ISU Coach Sean Carter, despite the disparity in records in ISU’s favor. “Unfortunately they had too much firepower and we got off to a way too slow a start. Their outside hitters were the reason for our loss – and their nine aces.”

Taylor Jacobsen, a 6-foot-1 graduate student from Chandler, Ariz., led all players with 21 kills for the Lumberjacks. NAU’s other outside hitter, Hannah Stoddard, a 6-1 sophomore from Coeur d’Alene, added 17 kills. Melia Barlow, a freshman setter, had four of NAU’s nine service aces.

The Bengals said goodbye to senior starters Jamie Streit, Sadie Bluth, Asiah Sopo’aga, and Aliyah Sopo’aga, who were playing their final game in Reed Gym. Bluth led the Bengals with 14 kills and had two blocks and 19 digs. Streit had 13 kills and 16 digs. Asiah Sopo’aga had 12 digs, and Aliyah led ISU with 45 assists and added 11 digs.

“It’s just slow starts and being able to defend,” Carter said of the Bengals’ three-game slump. “We served great but passing, blocking and digging has not been where it needs to be. But credit to UNC and NAU.”

The Bengals will finish the regular season on the road next week, playing at Sacramento State on Thursday night and at Portland State on Saturday night. The Big Sky Tournament will be held starting Nov. 27 in Sacramento.