Box Score HAYWARD – The slow starting Humboldt State volleyball engine could not carry its early winning momentum for a second victory on Friday afternoon.
 
In the opening three wins of the year, the Lumberjacks have lost the opening set to turn around and win the next three. The pattern of success did not continue against Northwest Nazarene in a 3-0 defeat to finish the first day of the Route 92 Tournament played at Cal State Easy Bay.
 
The Crusaders (2-2) captured the first contest, 25-21, hung on in game two, 26-24, and completed the match win with a 25-21 tally over the Jacks (3-2).
 
As was the case earlier in the day, Kaitlyn Dunaway led the HSU frontline with 19 kills, a .400 hitting percentage and 10 digs.
 
Courtney Debrunner lined eight kills and blocked three attacks.  Symone Hayden contributed five kills, three digs and an assist.
 
Ashley Owen and Alex Hasenstab combined for seven kills, two digs and two blocks.
 
Sam Siebert recorded 35 assists to go with seven digs, an ace and a block.
 
Kelci Renshaw dug 14 balls and had an assist. Jacquelyn Callaway added six digs and an assist.
 
Danielle Carlson posted five digs, an assist and a kill with three digs and an ace coming from Colleen Noonan. Erin Mitchell had two digs.
 
Tied at seven, Northwest Nazarene scored the next four points and would never trail the rest of the opening set. 
 
The Jacks were down by six points three different times with the last being 20-14. They made their push from there behind a Noonan ace to pull to within two, 20-18, with four-straight points.
 
NW Nazarene, though, held on for the 25-21 win by scoring five of the final eight points.
 
The second affair did not start any better for HSU.
 
The Crusaders opened a 10-5 and eventual 18-11 advantage.
 
HSU saw all four of its frontline players – Dunaway, Owen, Debrunner and Hayden - record a kill apiece to make it an 18-15 contest.  The Jacks charge would continue with four of the next five points for a tie, 19-19, the first of four late-game ties.
 
After being tied at 22, 23 and 24, the Crusaders took advantage of one Jacks hitting error and killed an attack for the final point and 26-24 victory.
 
HSU tried to get one win as it put three points in a row on the board to take an 11-10 slight lead in the third set.
 
In a 14-14 tie, NW Nazarene put three points on the board in a row and would never trail again. HSU could get no closer than 20-18 before dropping the third game, 25-21.
 
HSU will move over to Belmont, Calif. for a pair of Saturday contests for the second day of the Route 92 Tournament. It will face host Notre Dame de Namur at 1 p.m. before taking on Holy Names University in a 5 p.m. match.
 
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