NDSU secure first win in Grand Forks since ’03
After a tough weekend with a pair of home losses to two of the top teams in the Summit League, the North Dakota State volleyball bounced back in impressive fashion with a 3-1 win in Grand Forks Tuesday night.
Entering the match, NDSU had never won at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center and was last victorious on the campus of the University of North Dakota in 2003.
It was not an easy win for the Bison against the team last in the Summit League. NDSU took the match with sets of 25-22, 24-26, 25-20, 25-23.
The two teams traded shots in the first set. While NDSU never trailed, the lead was never large. The largest lead of the set for the Bison occurred at 22-18, which UND followed with a quick 3-0 run.
Kills from Emily Halverson and Kalli Hegerle closed the set for the Bison. Both teams hit over .300 for the set with the Bison committing four errors to the Hawks’ three.
The home team got off to a flying start in the second set. The Fighting Hawk used a 10-0 run to jump out to a 12-2 lead. NDSU committed five errors in that run.
But the Bison did not quit on the set, chipping away the lead slowly but surely and were aided by some sloppy play from the hosts. A 7-0 run featured just two kills from the Bison and a block to go along with four errors from UND to tie the set at 16-16.
UND came up with a pair of blocks late to take the second set.
The Hawks maintained momentum into the third set, jumping out to a 5-0 lead. This time, NDSU responded immediately with an 11-2 run of their own to take a 16-10 lead.
UND cut the lead back to one, but NDSU pulled away with kills from Halverson and Alexis Bachmeier either side of a Kaylee Hanger ace to take the set.
In the fourth, NDSU got out to a comfortable lead early and held on throughout the set. However, after setting up match point at 24-17, the Bison could not put the Hawks away. UND went on a 7-0 run to get within a point of the Bison. Halverson was finally able to end the match with a kill to take the set and the match.
Bachmeier led the way for the Bison with 16 kills on the night, followed by Halverson with 11 and Allie Mauch joining the pair in double digits with 10.
NDSU used the pair of Kelley Johnson and Hegerle at the pivots on the attack with 27 and 22 assists respectively. Hanger tallied 19 digs and Abbi Klos added four aces in the match.
The Bison continue their road trip with a stop at Oral Roberts on Sunday afternoon before returning home on October 25 against South Dakota State.