GRAND FORKS, N.D. – Izzie McCormick's fifth service ace of the match pushed the North Dakota volleyball team past South Dakota (25-23, 25-20, 15-25, 26-24) in four sets on Thursday evening from Betty Engelstad Sioux Center. The Hawks move to 4-8, while South Dakota drops to 8-5.

It's the Hawks' first win over South Dakota since Sept. 11, 2015, and the first time North Dakota has started 1-0 in Summit League play since 2022.

There were 23 ties and 13 lead changes, as North Dakota won the first two sets of the match and down 24-22 in set four, The Fighting Hawks used a 4-0 run to take the victory.

UND was led by Paige Barber, who poured in a career-high 23 kills on a season best .333 hit percentage, with the 23 kills being the most in a four-set match since Oct. 22, 2011.

Matthea Dalton (9), Ava Galvan (7) and Lauren Perugini (7) combined for 23 kills, as Sadie White logged 39 assists, compiling her third double-double of the season with 11 digs.
Izzie McCormick had a season high five service aces, along with 16 digs defensively. Kimanni Rugley had a game high four total blocks.

North Dakota came out swinging in set one, as Galvan connected on an impressive kill in her first career attack, which put UND up 1-0. The Hawks led 5-2, the largest lead either team would hold through the first 41 points of the match, as North Dakota led 22-19. The Green and White scored two consecutive points from there off kills from White and Perugini to go up 24-19, before South Dakota rallied with four straight to make it 24-23. An attack error from the Coyotes gave UND a 25-23 set one win.

The Fighting Hawks fell behind 4-1 in set two but rallied with an 11-5 burst to take a 12-9 advantage. The Coyotes responded with a 4-1 run to tie it at 13-13, which the Hawks answered with a 5-1 run of their own to go up 18-14. From there the Coyotes got as close as two points, but the Hawks stayed together to take set two, 25-20.

The score was tied at 5-5 through 10 points, before the Coyotes used a 5-0 run to go up 10-5. From there, they never looked back, taking set three, 25-15.

North Dakota took a 5-0 lead to start set four, forcing South Dakota to burn a timeout. The two teams exchanged two points each, as UND led 7-2, before South Dakota answered with a 9-4 run to tie it at 11-11. The set remained close, as UND led 20-18, but South Dakota went on a 6-2 run to go up 24-22. With their back against the walls, the Hawks used a 4-0 run, headlined by a Barber kill and a McCormick service ace to end the match, winning the frame, 26-24.

North Dakota will be back in action on Saturday at 7 p.m. at North Dakota State.

Postgame Notes

• North Dakota moves to 53-39 all-time against South Dakota
• The win over the Coyotes is the first since Sept. 11, 2015
• UND opens up 1-0 in Summit League play for the first time since 2022
• Barber recorded a career-high 23 kills, the most in a four-set match since Lexi Robinson's 23 kills on Oct. 22, 2011
• McCormick had a season high five service aces, leaving her just one shy of 100 for her career
• Galvan contributed seven kills in her collegiate debut
• White had her third double-double of the season

How It Happened
Set 1: UND 25-23
Set 2: UND 25-20
Set 3: USD 25-15
Set 4: 26-24

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