GRAND FORKS, N.D. – A rivalry will be rekindled this week with Summit League stakes on the line as the University of North Dakota volleyball team will host North Dakota State at The Betty Engelstad Sioux Center on Tuesday night.
 
The Fighting Hawks have taken the last five meetings against the Bison, including last year's sweep, marking the first time in program history that UND had beaten NDSU twice in the same season.
 
Tuesday night's match will be broadcasted on Midco Sports Network with Alex Heinert and Angie Stokke on the call. The contest will also air on The Home of Economy Radio Network on AM 1440 with Paul Ralston on the call. First serve is set for 7 p.m.
 
The Winter Storm that blasted its way through the upper Midwest halted Denver's travel plans, forcing a postponement of the match and leaving North Dakota with only one date. The Hawks went to Brookings to take on South Dakota State on Sunday, hanging tight with the Jackrabbits throughout the match.
 
After dropping the first set, 17-25, the Fighting Hawks rallied to win the second set, 25-15, and lost the final two frames by three points each. Committing only two more errors than the Jacks, the difference in the match was the kill total as South Dakota State posted six more kills than the Fighting Hawks in the frames.
 
The match dropped the University of North Dakota to 9-10 on the season and 1-4 in The Summit League. Lexi Ahrens, who posted 10 kills and a .562 hitting percentage in the first two frames, closed the night with a team-best 16 kills and .333 attacking clip. Defensively, SDSU only bested UND by two digs (77-75) as Darian Chwialkowski registered 33 digs in her first career start at libero. North Dakota paced South Dakota State at the net with an 11-9 advantage blocking.
 
The Fighting Hawks foe – North Dakota State – will enter the weekend with a 2-4 clip in conference matches and a 7-11 record overall. The Bison were swept last week by South Dakota (2-3) and Denver (1-3).
 
NDSU leads the log jam of 2-4 teams in The Summit League as four other teams share the mark for fifth place in the conference. Omaha sits in the middle of the pack at 3-3 in fourth place. Middle hitter Emily Halverson has been deadly for North Dakota State as she leads the team with a .306 hitting percentage. Alexis Bachmeier paces the Bison with 2.81 kills per set.
 
UND with a match at Oral Roberts on Friday, Oct. 18. First serve is set for 7 p.m.

Match Notes  |  Live Stats  |  Live Video