Another week of Bison sports is in the books, and it is strange to say, but the fall season is already winding down. I, and the rest of us in the sports section at the Spectrum, are already planning pre-season preview stories for winter sports and previews of league and conference tournaments for our fall sports teams.
The volleyball team is on fire. They have now won five matches in a row and lead the Summit League with a 5-0 record. In an interview with head coach Jennifer Lopez back in August to preview the upcoming season, Lopez was excited about her team’s prospects. “…they’re coming in every day, and they are getting better,” Lopez said. “I think the level of play and what we have seen so far in the gym through competing, through training is continuing to raise the floor, which is really exciting.” It’s paying off coach…next up for volleyball is a date with North Dakota at the Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse on Saturday night at 7 p.m. The Fighting Hawks sit right behind the Bison in the Summit League standings at 4-1.
The Bison continue to win on the gridiron, but the injury bug is biting. The latest unfortunate news on that front is the status of tight end Noah Gindorff. It appears as though his career at North Dakota State is over as he has had another surgery on his damaged ankle. This is certainly not good news for anybody, especially for Gindorf as he looks like a pro on and off the field. It sure doesn’t help the Bison offense, either. Hopefully, Gindorff can get back on the field somehow. Good luck, Noah.
Meanwhile, the team itself appears to be improving every week, which is what the coaching staff wants. We still need to shape up on penalties and tackling but we are improving and that is all we can ask for. I would like to see the passing game open up as well. We will see as there are big games right around the corner, most notably the South Dakota State University Jackrabbits coming to Fargo on the 15th, a huge game for both teams.
Finally, it is good to see that the student section is selling out for football games again. The streak is now at three and with SDSU coming to town for the next home game, it should be four in a row. It is still frustrating to see so many fans leaving at halftime, though. In last Saturday’s game, the Bison had comfortable leads, but at no point, in my opinion, was the game over until Cam Miller took a knee with 30-some seconds remaining.
Regardless, let’s get out and support our Bison. You can register for all your student tickets at GoBison.com/Students. Remember, volleyball hosts North Dakota on Saturday night at 7 p.m. at the Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse. Let’s fill up the BBF in yellow!