Missing their best hitter, Kobi Christensen, the Lumberjacks needed a big day from players trying to fill some big shoes.

Junior Lexi Sullivan and freshman Sydney Kemper both broke into double digits with kills Saturday at the Rolle Activity Center and the Jacks topped Big Sky Conference opponent Montana 3-1 (25-10, 23-25, 25-19, 26-24) to stay perfect on the season.

Matching the best season start of the 1991 Lumberjack team with an 11-0 record -- one of only eight Division I teams in the nation still unbeaten -- NAU accomplished a couple of team goals Saturday.

"We've had all kinds of goals," head coach Craig Choate said. "One was to sweep a conference weekend, which we haven't done since I've been here, so we did that. Another was to beat Montana, and this gets that monkey off our back."

NAU moved to 2-0 in the Big Sky while Montana dropped to 3-7 overall and 0-2 in the conference, and the Jacks got the win without Christensen.

"People stepped up, and as long as we work as a team we're fine," junior setter Kelli Dallmann said.

Choate added that both Sullivan and Lauren Campbell really stepped up and had good hitting nights for the Jacks.

"Lauren hit really well and she was really good," Choate said. "She held her own and I thought that was awesome and it was really big for us. Lexi, who took (Kobi's) spot, hit well also, and that was one of her best nights. The outside really stepped it up."

Campbell had nine kills, while Sullivan led the Lumberjacks with 16 and Kemper added 13. Overall, NAU finished with a .245 hitting percentage, after opening the game hitting .565 in a 25-10 opening-game win.

"No one likes to be beaten like that and we knew they were going to come back harder (in the second game) and we were expecting that," Dallmann said.

Choate added that the team knew the match wasn't going to be easy, and had to fight through each of the next three games.

"We knew it was going to be a struggle, and we expected each point to be hard and we just kept plugging away," he said.

Dallmann had a lot to do with that fighting spirit, moving all over the floor and getting to balls on defense, as well as leading the team in assists from her setter spot with 47.

"Kelli is an off-the-charts athlete and I think she's the best player in the conference," Choate said. "There are very few balls Kelli can't get to, and she makes us a better team because she's setting the ball for us."

Dallmann said getting the momentum back from Montana was all about staying focused.

"We just focused on getting the next point," she said. "Once a play ends, you just focus on the next one."

Going into uncharted waters in their unbeaten season, Choate said it's both fun and scary at the same time.

"You know the ride has to come to an end, but you don't want it to," he said.

Dallmann added that being unbeaten is exciting and thrilling, and said the team has to stay focused, have fun and bring their own energy to keep the wins coming.

"We're just going to keep working hard and keep it up," she said. "We're excited for every game in every match."

NAU will play its next four matches on the road, starting with a 7 p.m. match Thursday at Sacramento State.

Bill Harris can be reached at bharris@azdailysun.com or 556-2251.