DULUTH, Minn. -- North Dakota's volleyball team lost the first game of Saturday's doubleheader to Lake Superior State, but rallied in the afternoon match against Michigan Tech to earn the split. With the split UND now has a record of 3-9.
Lake Superior State - 3 UND - 1
In their first game of the day, the Fighting Sioux suffered the four-game defeat to Lake Superior State. The Lakers had three players who finished the match with 14 or more kills.
Offensively, the Sioux were led by a duo of sophomores and senior Mary Blume (Herman, Minn.). Blume notched 16 kills in the contest. Sophomores Britta Hanson (Thompson, N.D.) and Amanda Polzin (Hutchinson, Minn.) finished with 15 kills and 10 kills, respectively. Setter Megan Langseth (So., Alexandria, Minn.) had a big day setting the ball as she finished with 40 set assists in the match.
Defensively, the Sioux were once again led by freshman Courtney Halvorson (Oklee, Minn.) as she finished with 23 digs. Sophomores Stephanie Mason (Excelsior, Minn.) and Ashley Holmen (Berthold, N.D.) tallied 14 digs and 12 digs apiece.
UND - 3 Michigan Tech - 2
UND lost the first two games of the match, but would rally and win the final three to seal its first five-game victory of the season. In the contest, senior Tara Holmen (Berthold, N.D.) had a career night. Holmen finished with 20 kills to lead the Sioux. More importantly, her fifth kill was her 1,000th career kill. Holmen becomes the 11th Fighting Sioux volleyball player to accomplish such a feat.
Holmen's career night didn't end there. Holmen finished the match with six block assists, setting a Fighting Sioux career record with 362 block assists. Holmen surpassed Karla Danielson (1988-1991) with her first block assist in the match to break Danielson's record. Along with the six block assists, Holmen surpassed 400 total blocks in her career. She is only the third player in Fighting Sioux volleyball history to record 400 career total blocks.
Sophomore Megan Langseth also had a career night as she set the way for the Sioux offense with 59 set assists. Langseth recorded a double-double in the contest as she also finished with 12 digs. Fellow sophomore Britta Hanson tallied 20 kills in the contest.
Defensively, Courtney Halvorson again led the Sioux with 23 digs. It is her second straight game with 20 or more digs. Sophomores Stephanie Mason and Ashley Holmen added 17 and 12 digs, respectively.
The Sioux will hit the road to open up their conference season on Friday against Minnesota State at 7 p.m. at the Taylor Center in Mankato, Minn.
