Grand Forks, N.D. – The University of North Dakota volleyball posted a season-high attack percentage en route to sweeping Bemidji State, 3-0, on Tuesday at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center. The Fighting Sioux (13-6, 4-1 GW) outhit the visiting Beavers .330 to .116 as sophomore Annika Smed (Albert Lea, Minn.) led the way with 17 kills.
Junior Erin Joki (Grand Rapids, Minn.) was the most efficient of the Fighting Sioux attackers finishing off eight of her 13 attack attempts for a career-high .615 hitting percentage. Senior Britta Hanson (Thompson, N.D.) added 12 kills and added six block assists to bring her season total to 100 in that category.
“Our attack numbers from Annika, Britta and Erin were fantastic,” UND head coach Ashley Hardee said. “We were a little sluggish in the first set. They got us in some long rallies, but we made the adjustments and played much better in sets two and three.”
Senior setter Megan Langseth (Alexandria, Minn.) had 40 assists and posted her second double-double of the season by adding 10 digs. She was one of a trio of UND players with a double-digit effort in digs.
Senior Lindsay Vortherms (Windom, Minn.) moved to within five digs of breaking UND's all-time mark in that category with a match-high 16. Sophomore Taylor Bohannon (Inver Grove, Minn.) added a season-high 12 digs.
The Sioux and Beavers went back-and-forth in the opening set before UND tallied the final two points as Hanson capped off the scoring with her third kill of the set and a 25-23 victory.
The second and third sets were much easier for the Sioux as they hit .400 and .419, respectively to coast to 25-15 and 25-17 set wins.
Joki connected on five of her six attack attempts in the second set and Smed and Hanson each had seven kills in the third set to pace the Sioux. UND scored 20 of its 25 points in that third set on kills.
Sophomore Devin Trefz (Bagley, Minn.) added nine kills, registering three in each set as the Sioux returned home from a three-match road trip.
“It was great to get back home and play in front of another great crowd,” Hardee said. “Our fans have been super all year and we have some big Great West conference matches coming up here at the Betty where we will need their continued support.”
It was the seventh straight win for the Sioux in the series with Bemidji State, which dates back to 1976.
Before the Sioux open a three-match home stand of Great West contests, they will venture on the road to rival South Dakota for a league tilt on Thursday at the DakotaDome. That match is slated for a 7 p.m. start and can be followed live at www.fightingsioux.com.
