"There is no way that I can use 'coach speak' for this match," UND head coach Mark Pryor admitted. "We just played really, really well. It was a nice decisive win for us, and it was the first time that we have beaten Idaho State in the three years I have been here, so that is definitely a monkey off our back.

"I'm really happy for this team. They have worked so hard, and every one of them are great kids. It is exciting to see them rewarded for their efforts."

Tamara Merseli hammered home 16 kills with just one error while Chelsea Moser added 10, also with just one error in a dominant UND attack. Faith Dooley had three kills and five total blocks in the first set alone and finished with seven kills without an error. 

The tone for the match was set early as the first set finished with about as much dominance for one team possible. With the score 7-7, UND went on a remarkable 18-3 run, ending rallies quickly and burying the Bengals, 25-10, in the first set. 

That first frame belonged to UND junior middle Faith Dooley. She collected three big kills and was in on five total blocks in that set alone to blow the doors wide open. UND didn't record an attack error in the entire set and charted 16 kills to hit a staggering .552. UND successfully sided-out ISU all 10 times, not allowing the Bengals to serve consecutive points. 

The second set didn't have quite the same feel, but North Dakota again asserted itself in the middle of the stanza. UND (25-9) had to fend off a Bengal rally that turned a 7-4 Fighting Hawk lead into an 11-8 ISU advantage. A 10-2 run put the home team in front for good in that set as Merseli piled up seven kills without an error in that set. 

In the third, another 7-2 stretch helped UND distance itself before a mirroring, match-ending 7-2 spurt to give North Dakota its 10th straight win and fourth consecutive sweep.  

Merseli finished a dig shy of a double-double with 16 kills and nine digs. UND out-blocked the Bengals, 9-3. 

"Northern Arizona is still the reigning conference tournament champions. Until someone beats them, it is still them. They have won their last five matches in the Big Sky Conference Tournament, dating back to last year.  Beating a team twice in nine days is no easy task, but beating a great Northern Arizona team is going to be really difficult. This team has accepted every challenge that has been in front of them, and they are excited about taking on this challenge tomorrow.

"Just a quick note, if you aren't too busy tomorrow, I have a feeling that these kids would really appreciate you being at the Betty at 7:00."

North Dakota advances to the league championship match for the first time in the Big Sky Conference. Northern Arizona defeated Sacramento State, 3-1, in the earlier semifinal.