GRAND FORKS, N.D. – The North Dakota volleyball team finished up its three-match homestand on Thursday night in a crucial match in the race for the sixth-and-final spot in the Summit League Championships. UND took the first set, but SDSU took the next three (25-23, 22-25, 26-28, 19-25) to claim the 3-1 victory from the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center.
Kaycee O'Dell paced the attack for the green and white with 11 kills and a .474 hitting percentage, hitting over .400 for the second straight match and sixth match this season.
NoDak jumped out to a fast start to begin the match, taking eight of the first 11 points in the first set. SDSU would come back to tie the set at 10 and then briefly take the lead, but a kill from McCallister Gayle and ace from Teagan Timperley put UND back on top. The Fighting Hawks got their first setpoint at 24-20, and the Jackrabbits fought off three setpoints before Paige Barber finished the set to give the hosts a 1-0 lead in the match. Lauren Perugini had five kills in the frame with no errors on seven swings in the first set—standing out with a .714 hitting percentage.
The Fighting Hawks led 4-3 early in the second set, but the lead would not last long, as SDSU went back on top and would not trail the rest of the frame. Late in the set, a 5-1 run from the Fighting Hawks that featured three kills from Gayle tied it up at 22, but the last three went to the Jackrabbits to knot the match up at one heading into the extended intermission.
Back-to-back aces from Timperley gave UND a 5-3 lead early on in set number three, but SDSU answered with a 7-1 run that put the hosts in a 10-6 hole. Marissa Stockman spearheaded a 12-7 run with four kills that put the Hawks back up 18-17, and a nail-biting finish to the third set would ensue. SDSU fought off two UND setpoints and surged ahead for good to flip the match to its favor and take a 2-1 lead.
Momentum stayed with the visitors as they took the first two points of the third set, but UND quickly answered with a 3-0 run to take the lead, capped with an ace from Maddy Hornyak. The teams seesawed the lead back-and-forth, splitting the first 20 points evenly. NoDak got the next two points to go up 12-10, but SDSU closed the match on a 15-7 run to take the final set and the match.
The Fighting Hawks go back on the road Saturday as they head to St. Paul to take on St. Thomas this Saturday at noon.
For more information on North Dakota volleyball, follow on social media @UNDvolleyball or visit FightingHawks.com.
Postgame Notes
· Three Fighting Hawks reached double-digit kills with O'Dell leading with 11, and Gayle and Stockman each had ten.
· Maddy Hornyak led the team with 16 digs, with Perugini also in double-figures with 13.
· As a team UND had eight aces, their highest since September 23 at Oral Roberts.
· Elizabeth Norris led with 26 assists, while Timperley racked up 19.
· Stockman assisted on six blocks, with Gayle assisting on four. As a team NoDak racked up 18 block assists.
How it Happened
First set: UND 25, SDSU 23
Second set: SDSU 25, UND 22
Third set: SDSU 28, UND 26
Fourth set: SDSU 25, UND 19
