FARGO, N.D. – Registering 53 kills with a plus-300 hitting percentage through the first three sets, the University of North Dakota fell to North Dakota State in four at Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse, 23-25, 23-25, 25-21, 15-25.
Ashley Brueggeman led all attackers with 18 kills while also tallying 18 digs for her eighth double-double of the year.
Lexi Ahrens (11) and
Lydia Rutten (12) also recorded double figures in kills and hit over .400 in the match as Rutten led all attackers with a .474 clip.
"We played some outstanding volleyball in the first three sets. We were focused on what we needed to do," said Head Coach
Jeremiah Tiffin. "We just needed to finish in those first two sets, and we were a bit unlucky not to have the advantage entering the fourth. Our focus is Oral Roberts now, and that will determine our postseason fate."
North Dakota controlled the opening set as it forced the Bison to burn both of their timeouts in the first set as it led NDSU, 22-17. Despite owning a .387 hitting percentage with 15 kills to that point in the set, North Dakota State forced three UND attacking errors and closed the frame on an 8-1 run to take the early advantage.
At the first intermission, the Fighting Hawks continued to play physically on the attack as they clubbed the volleyball for 32 kills and a team hitting percentage of.307 at the break. Brueggeman closed with 10 kills and 10 digs to that point in the match while Ahrens and Rutten weren't close behind with eight kills.
Despite the team's hitting success, paced by Rutten's 8-of-12 clip at .667, UND found itself trailing 2-0 after two sets.
The Fighting Hawks stormed back in the third set with a late 5-0 run to take the lead late and extend the match to a fourth set after the 25-21 victory in the third.
North Dakota State finished the match off in the fourth set as they held the Fighting Hawks to its first sub .200 hitting percentage in a set as they clinched the match with a 25-15 fourth set win.
The University of North Dakota will close the regular season on Friday, Nov. 15, when it hosts Oral Roberts at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center. First serve is set for 7 p.m. UND will also hold Senior Night festivities to honor the program's lone senior Brueggeman.
