KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The North Dakota volleyball dropped a long five-set battle against Kansas City (25-21, 24-26, 26-24, 22-25, 15-13) at Swinney Arena on Saturday afternoon. The Hawks fall to 4-11 and 1-3 in Summit League play, while Kansas City improves to 2-15 and 1-3 in Summit League play.

The match only saw eight ties and five lead changes overall, as UND led by as many as five in the fifth set.

Paige Barber recorded a 20-20 effort, totaling career highs in both kills (26) and digs (23), becoming the first Hawk to record 20 kills and 20 digs in a match since Ashley Brueggeman did it in 2019. Her 26 kills were the most all-time in a North Dakota five-set match.

Lauren Perugini recorded 13 kills, along with eight from Matthea Dalton. Sadie White dished out 47 assists and had a carer high 14 digs, good for her fourth career double-double.

Izzie McCormick had 15 digs and freshman Kelly Kelsick had a career best 10 digs. UND swatted 20 block assists, as Kimanni Rugley had a career best five blocks.

North Dakota could not get ahead in set one, as the Hawks trailed by as many as seven. Trailing 12-5 early, UND went on an 8-4 run to bring the score to 16-13. The Roos answered with a 4-0 run, to go up 20-13 and took the victory in set one, 25-21.

UND never trailed in set two, leading by as many as six. The Hawks led 17-12 but surrendered a 12-7 run to the Roos as the set was tied at 24-24. North Dakota scored the final two points of the set, as An den Hamer logged a kill, which was followed by a service ace from Barber, to win the frame, 26-24.

UND led 1-0 in set three, but that was the Hawks only lead of the set. The two teams stayed close with each other, as UND trailed just 12-8 through 20 points, but gave up a 6-0 run to give Kansas City an 18-8 lead. North Dakota couldn't respond and fell 25-14.

North Dakota went wire-to-wire in set four, leading by as many as eight. Kansas City was able to bring it within as close as two, trailing 24-22, but Barber recorded her sixth kill of the frame, to end it and send the match to set five. UND won the frame, 25-22.

The Hawks came out hot in set five, jumping out to a 6-3 lead in the first-to-15 set five. Kansas City trimmed the lead to 7-6, but UND answered pushing the lead to 12-7. After a Kansas City point to make it 12-8, UND seemed to gain a point to go up 13-8, but a Kansas City successful challenge flipped that to a 12-9 North Dakota lead. The Roos used that momentum to a 6-1 run to end the match, taking set five, 15-13.

North Dakota will be back in action on Thursday at home against Denver. First serve is set for 7 p.m.

Postgame Notes

• North Dakota falls to 4-9 all-time against Kansas City
• UND moves to 1-3 this season five-set matches
• Barber had a career-high 26 kills, the most kills in a UND five-set match all-time
• Barber had a career best 23 digs, becoming the first UND player with 20 or more kills and 20 or more digs since Ashley Brueggeman did it in 2019
• White had 47 assists and a career-high 15 digs, good for her fourth double-double of her career
• Kimanni Rugley had a career best five blocks
• McCormick had a service ace, now recording an ace in eight consecutive matches
• Kelsick had a career best 10 digs
• The Hawks had a season best 20 block assists

How It Happened

Set 1: Kansas City 25-21
Set 2: UND 26-24
Set 3: Kansas City 25-14
Set 4: UND 25-22
Set 5: Kansas City 15-13

For more information on North Dakota Volleyball, visit Fightinghawks.com or follow-on social media @UNDvolleyball.
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