VERMILLION, S.D. – The North Dakota volleyball team dropped its third straight match Saturday, falling 3-0 (25-18, 25-20, 25-23) to the South Dakota Coyotes.
The Fighting Hawks were led by Elizabeth Norris with eight kills (tied with Paige Barber) and 13 assists. Izzie McCormick led the team with eight digs while Marissa Stockman and McCallister Gayle tied for the team lead with four blocks.
Gayle got a kill on the first play of the match, Stockman followed with a kill of her own as UND took the first four points of the set. While the Fighting Hawks held the upper hand in the early going, USD closed the set on a 14-6 run and took the first set.
NoDak trailed 4-3 early in the second frame, but a 6-0 run but the green and white ahead 9-4. Norris picked up two kills in the run, and Lauren Perugini picked up one. But the Coyotes knotted the set up at 15 and from there pulled away to go up 2-0 in the match.
Barber racked up three kills in the early going of the third set as the Fighting Hawks took a quick 5-2 lead. USD grabbed the next three to tie the set, but a 6-1 run by the visitors forced a timeout by the Coyotes. NoDak was up 11-6 out of the timeout, but South Dakota pulled ahead again and eventually reached matchpoint at 24-20. The Fighting Hawks fought off three matchpoints to pull within one at 24-23, but could not pull to a deuce as USD finished the match.
Next week UND will go to South Dakota State on Thursday for its final road match of the year before closing out the season at home against Kansas City and North Dakota State.
For more information on North Dakota volleyball, follow on social media @UNDvolleyball or visit FightingHawks.com.
Postgame Notes
· Stockman hit .600 with seven kills on ten attacks with only one error.
· Kaycee O'Dell assisted on three blocks.
· Norris and Stockman recorded an ace.
· Teagan Timperley reached double digit assists with 11, for the 23rd time this season and seventh straight match.
How it Happened
First set: USD 25, UND 18
Second set: USD 25, UND 20
Third set: USD 25, UND 23
