GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- North Dakota hit an efficient .341 in a 3-0 sweep of visiting Southern Utah Thursday at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center to open Big Sky Conference play.
Junior transfer Tamara Merseli led North Dakota with 10 kills adn 18 digs. Senior Chelsea Moser added eight kills while Julia Kaczorowska, in her first start of the season, chipped in seven finishes.
"Tonight was a good start to conference play," UND head coach Mark Pryor. "It was nice to finish in three. We have a tough road trip this weekend against a solid team, so tomorrow morning we need to forget about Southern Utah until we see them on schedule again and we need to fully focus on Northern Colorado."
North Dakota (9-7, 1-0 Big Sky) trailed on the first point of the match, but never again the rest of the way. UND built a 6-2 lead in the first set and had a comfy 20-11 advantage in the opener before settling in for a 25-16 first-set win.
It was an 8-3 start to the second set that had the home team off and running. Jordan Vail finished it off with a service ace-- one of four on the night for the Fighting Hawks-- for a 25-17 win as UND enjoyed a two-sets-to-none lead.
More of the same followed in the final set with a 9-3 mid-set spurt that allowed North Dakota to give time to its bench.
UND will head to Northern Colorado Saturday to start a three-match road swing.
Notes: UND is 3-2 in Big Sky openers ... North Dakota's win Thursday was its 50th all-time in Big Sky play (50-23) ... Tamara Merseli recorded her fifth double-double of the season in the win.
