VERMILLION, S.D. – After dropping the first two sets, the North Dakota State volleyball team fought its way back before falling short in five sets, 3-2, against South Dakota on Saturday afternoon at Sanford Coyote Sports Center.
NDSU (7-9, 3-4 Summit) battled back from the 0-2 deficit in the third frame that saw 14 tie scores as both teams found themselves locked at 24-24. The Bison, who notched a team-best .371 hitting percentage in the frame, then closed set on a 3-1 run with two kills from Ali Hinze and a service error to win the frame, 27-25.
The two teams continued to go back and forth in the fourth set that featured a match-high eight lead changes until the Bison assembled four straight points to grab a 15-14 edge with a kill from Lauren Jansen. The Coyotes (13-5, 5-2 Summit) responded to lock the frame, 23-23, with a kill from Avery Van Hook. The Bison answered with kills from Emma Tallman and Lauren Jansen to seal the set, 25-23.
NDSU carried the momentum into the fifth frame building a 9-5 lead with a kill from Arianna Blohm. However, South Dakota responded with seven unanswered points to regain the edge, 12-9, after a kill from Morgan Bode. The Coyotes went on to hold off the Bison the rest of the way to win the set, 15-13, and the match, 3-2.
Hinze logged her third straight double-double with a team-high 17 kills and 10 digs, while Jansen added 14 kills with six digs. Blohm also reached double digits in kills with 12 to go along with a team-best six blocks. Maddy Dombeck handed out 25 assists with nine digs and Logan O’Brien contributed a match-high 21 digs.
NDSU will be back in action at North Dakota on Tuesday. First serve is set for 7:00 p.m.