MACOMB, Ill. – North Dakota dropped a four-set match (25-17, 23-25, 25-20, 25-17) against Western Illinois (1-14, 1-3) at Western Hall on Saturday afternoon.

Lexi Ahrens led the Fighting Hawks with eight kills, followed by Ashlyn Olson and Taylor Pribyl each with seven terminating attacks. Peyton Sewell and Elizabeth Norris quarterbacked the offense and dished out 16 assists and 15 assists, respectively.

Defensively, Madi Hart led the way with 37 digs. Ahrens built a wall at the net with five blocks (two solo, three assisted). McCallister Gayle also added four blocking assists to help the UND defensive effort.

North Dakota stormed out to a 9-5 advantage in the opening frame and held the advantage until Western Illinois knotted the score up at 12-12 midway through the set. The teams battled back and forth to a 16-16 tie when the Leathernecks ended the set on a 9-1 run to take set one, 25-17.

UND opened up the second set and led by a 14-8 margin, powered by four kills from Ahrens. Western Illinois clawed their way back into the set and forced a North Dakota timeout at 17-14. The teams battled back and forth to a 23-21 Fighting Hawk advantage until a Leatherneck attack error and a Pribyl kill ended the chances of a comeback for Western Illinois, 25-23.

Western Illinois used a 4-1 run to open the third period and held the lead until North Dakota tied the set at 14-14. Unfortunately, the Fighting Hawks never managed to lead in the third set and dropped the frame, 25-20.

The Fighting Hawks opened set four with a 2-0 lead but trailed early and called a timeout, trailing 10-6. North Dakota never managed to reclaim the lead and dropped the final set by a score of 25-17.

UND (1-16, 0-5 Summit) will return home on Thursday to host Omaha. Opening serve at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center is scheduled for 7 p.m.