The Vandals played their third of four consecutive home games as they met with the NAU Lumberjacks for the first of two matchups this season. Both teams sitting low in the Big Sky, NAU eighth of ten with a conference record of 2-5 and UI last at tenth with an 0-7 conference record.
NAU opened the scoring in the first set, jumping out to a 6-1 lead, but the Vandals answered with a few of their own, leading to a 9-5 run to pull within one before the Lumberjacks were able to reextend their lead eventually growing it to eight at 23-15. UI scored a couple more, but it would not be enough as NAU went on to take the opening set 25-19.
The Lumberjacks quickly got out to a 5-1 lead in the second set, but the Vandals would score the next four in a row to tie it up. During that second set, there were four ties and two lead changes, which included UI taking their first lead of the night but then NAU swiping it back. The Lumberjacks kept trying to extend their advantage, but the Vandals were able to get to within one a few times before NAU grew its lead to six late and took the second set by the same score as the first, 25-19…