OMAHA, Neb. – The North Dakota volleyball team took on Omaha for a rematch of a great match three weeks ago in Grand Forks, but once again Omaha came out on top 3-1 (22-25, 25-21, 25-23, 25-12). Marissa Stockman hit .583 with seven kills on 12 attacks with no errors, while Elizabeth Norris came two digs short of a triple-double with 11 kills, 16 assists and eight digs.
Early on momentum stayed with the hosts, but UND fought back and took its first lead at 9-8 following an ace from Skylar Darr. But the set would go back and forth, and NoDak tied the set back up at 15 when Kaycee O'Dell combined with Norris on a block that knotted it up. Neither team was able to pull ahead, and with the teams tied at 21, the Fighting Hawks went on a 3-0 to grab setpoint. Omaha fought off the first one but Norris got her fifth kill of the set to put it away on the next play.
Much like the first set, the next two sets were both tight affairs—but both went to the home team. The Fighting Hawks were down 14-8 in the second set but were able to pull within three late in the set but could not finish off the comeback as Omaha tied the match at one.
The beginning of the third set saw a reversal as UND jumped out to a 5-1 lead, behind kills from Norris, Paige Barber and McCallister Gayle. That lead would swell to 10-5, but Omaha would come back to knot it up at 11. Seesawing back and forth the rest of the set, it was tied up at 23 late in the frame. Omaha grabbed the final two points of the set to go up 2-1 in the match.
Omaha got off to a big lead to start the fourth set and the Fighting Hawks were unable to catch up as the hosts took the match.
The Fighting Hawks will begin a busy week next week Tuesday in Fargo as they take on North Dakota State before heading home for matches against Denver on Thursday and Oral Roberts on Saturday.
Postgame Notes
· Barber led the team with 13 kills on 25 swings, hitting .320.
· Teagan Timperley tied Norris with 18 assists to lead the team.
· Izzie McCormick led the team with 13 digs.
· O'Dell assisted on three blocks, while Gayle had two solo blocks and two block assists.
· Darr and Norris each picked up an ace.
How it Happened
First set: UND 25, Omaha 22
Second set: Omaha 25, UND 21
Third set: Omaha 25, UND 23
Fourth set: Omaha 25, UND 12
