GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- In the last home regular season game, the Fighting Sioux faced the #7 team in the nation, Minnesota Duluth. UMD was powered by their All-American outside hitter, Vicky Braegelmann who led all hitters with 17 kills. The Bulldogs took games one and two handily, 30-24 and 30-17. In game three, the Sioux took their first lead of the match, 17-16. The Sioux would extend their lead to 23-20, but Minnesota Duluth roared back and won the match 30-27.
The Sioux fall to 15-11 overall and 6-6 in the NCC. Minnesota Duluth finishes NCC play a perfect 12-0 and are 27-3 overall.
The Sioux offense was led by freshmen Britta Hanson (Thompson, N.D.) and junior Tara Holmen (Berthold, N.D.). Hanson and Holmen each finished the match with 10 kills. Hanson also finished the match with six total blocks (two solo blocks).
Defensively the Sioux were led by senior Heidi Evans (Roseau, Minn.). Evans needed 26 kills to reach 1,000 for her career. Evans finished with 17 digs, putting her career total at 991 career digs. Sophomore libero Lindsay Vortherms (Windom, Minn.) finished the match with 12 digs. Vortherms has 459 digs on the season, the fourth highest single season total in Fighting Sioux history.
Setter Allison Louwagie (So., Marshall, Minn.) had five kills and 29 set assists. Louwagies has 1,007 set assists on the season which is the 10th highest single season total in UND history. For her career, Louwagie has 2,205 career set assists, which places her sixth on the all time set assists list.
UND is waiting to hear if they made the regional playoffs. The announcement will be made tomorrow evening.
