SEATTLE – The University of North Dakota volleyball team fell in a five-set thriller Saturday night to host Seattle U during day two of the Steven Nimocks Redhawk Invitational.
After Seattle U took the opening two sets, the Fighting Hawks battled back to win the third and fourth sets by identical 25-15 scores to force a decisive fifth set. The Redhawks held of UND in the final frame, 15-12, to secure the victory.
Four Fighting Hawks finished in double figures in kills, led by
An den Hamer with 17 kills while hitting .371.
Andrea Zaric added 13 kills, while
Ellee McIntosh and
Lilliana Montes each recorded 12.
It marked the first time since the 2023 season that North Dakota had four players finish with double-digit kills in the same match. The last occurrence came against North Dakota State on Nov. 14, 2023, when
Paige Barber and Marissa Stickman each had 13 kills, Kaycee O'Dell recorded 10 and current senior
Lauren Perugini added 11.
Reagan McIntosh paced the Fighting Hawks' offence 52 assists while dishing out five kills and 10 digs for the first double-double of her career.
The Fighting Hawks controlled much of the opening set, taking a 13-12 lead and holding it until late in the frame. Seattle U rallied to tie the set at 23-23 before taking the first set, 27-25.
The Redhawks jumped out to an 11-5 advantage in the second set before Zaric entered the match and recorded kill in a Fighting Hawks uniform.
Skylar Darr followed with an ace to force a Redhawk timeout.
Later in the set,
Ellee McIntosh secured a kill and followed with an ace to put UND within three at 21-18. Seattle U elected to take a timeout after this and went out to close the set, 25-21.
North Dakota responded in the third set, overcoming a 3-0 deficit but scoring the next five points. Zaric secured two skills during the run and teamed up with
Olivia Edlund for a block. The Redhawks bounced back to tie the set at six, but the Fighting Hawks surrendered the lead, taking the frame 25-15.
UND carried that momentum into the fourth set. After the teams traded points early, the Fighting Hawks pulled away while hitting .480 as a team. North Dakota recorded 14 kills with just two errors in the frame and held Seattle U below .000 hitting to force a fifth set.
The two teams traded points early in the deciding set, with neither side able to reach an advantage. Seattle U established a short run midway through the set, building a lead the Fighting Hawks could get over, taking the fifth set 15-12 and the match 3-2
POSTGAME NOTES
- Seattle U now leads the all-time series, 3-2.
- North Dakota's 25-15 victories in the third and fourth sets marked the largest set margin of victory since the Fighting Hawks defeated Kansas City by 11 points on Oct. 23, 2025.
- Haley Patton served as the sole libero for UND and recorded a team-high 11 digs in her libero debut.
- North Dakota recorded seven aces during the contest. Skylar Darr and Ellee McIntosh each had two.
- Olivia Edlund led the fighting Hawks with her blocks in her season debut, a career high.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Set 1: Seattle U 27, North Dakota 25
Set 2: Seattle U 25, North Dakota 21
Set 3: North Dakota 25, Seattle U 15
Set 4: North Dakota 25, Seattle U 15
Set 5: Seattle U 15, North Dakota 12
For more information on North Dakota Volleyball, visit Fightinghawks.com or follow-on social media @UNDvolleyball.
--UND--
