NDSU Volleyball Tops North Dakota in Regular Season Finale

FARGO, N.D. – The North Dakota State volleyball team closed out regular season play with a 3-1 win over North Dakota on Tuesday night at Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse.

With the win, the Bison completed the regular season sweep of North Dakota and finished with a 12-13 (8-8 Summit) overall record. NDSU secured the fourth seed in the Summit League Championship and will face fifth-seeded Denver in the first round on Sunday at 3:00 p.m., in Kansas City, Mo.

Ali Hinze led the way for the Bison logging her 70th career double-double with a match-high 17 kills to go along with 14 digs and five assists. Arianna Blohm added 11 kills with a match-best eight blocks, while Maddy Dombeck posted a double-double with a match-high 26 assists and 12 digs. Logan O’Brien rounded out the top performers with a match-best 20 digs and four assists.

North Dakota (9-18, 2-14 Summit) jumped out a 17-10 edge at the midway point of the opening set. NDSU slowly pulled its way back trimming the deficit down to 21-19 after an attack error to force to a North Dakota timeout. The Bison continued to surge to lock the contest, 24-24, with a kill from Blohm. The two teams then exchanged points until the Bison closed the set with a 3-0 run, including two kills from Emma Tallman to steal the set, 28-26.

The Fighting Hawks once again jumped out a 15-11 lead in the second frame taking advantage of attack errors. North Dakota then assembled a 4-1 run to stretch its edge to 23-18 with a kill from Jarolin Santos Lugo. The Fighting Hawks won the second set, 25-21.

NDSU answered back in the third frame doubling up North Dakota, 10-5, with a kill from Hinze. The Bison then pushed their edge up to 17-13 with a pair of kills from Alexis Boling and Blohm. NDSU went on hold off North Dakota to win the frame, 25-21.

The Fighting Hawks made one final surge in the fourth set building a late 17-13 advantage. The Bison responded with a 4-1 run to lock the contest, 21-21, following a block from Blohm and Baily Randall. After two points from the Fighting Hawks, NDSU closed out the set with a 6-2 run finished off by a block from Tallman and Ally Barth to secure the set, 27-25, and the match, 3-1.