Missoula, Mont. - The University of North Dakota volleyball team fell to Southern Methodist, 3-0, on Saturday in final day action at the Montana Invitational. The sweep was the first suffered by the Fighting Sioux this season, who will enter Great West Conference play this week with a 5-5 record.
SMU finished their three-match run in Missoula with the only unblemished record among the four teams. The Mustangs (6-4) took the first and third sets each by the score of 25-21 and rallied to take the second set 27-25.
UND had the Mustangs in a 24-20 hole in that second set, but SMU was able to square the match at 24-24 and score three of the next four points to secure the win.
Senior Britta Hanson (Thompson, N.D.) had 13 kills on a .526 hitting percentage in the match to lead the Sioux offense. Sophomore Devin Trefz (Bagley, Minn.) added 15 kills and classmate Annika Smed had a team-high 16 digs.
Hanson was named to the all-tournament team, marking the second straight weekend she collected such honors (UniWyo Cowgirl Invite). She finished the three matches with 27 kills and 23 total blocks (18 block assists and five solos).
With Smed leading the team in digs, it marked the first time this season that senior libero Lindsay Vortherms (Windom, Minn.), who had 13 digs, did not lead the team in that category.
The Fighting Sioux will be home for the first time this season on Thursday night when the team opens Great West Conference play against Houston Baptist. This is the inaugural season of volleyball in the Great West and UND and the Huskies kick things off at 7 p.m. at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center.
