ABERDEEN, S.D. – The Minnesota State University Moorhead volleyball team lost in straight sets in a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference matchup at No. 11 Northern State (10-1, 3-0 NSIC) on Tuesday night. The Dragons fell to the Wolves 23-25, 17-25, and 18-25.

MSUM is now 6-5 overall with a 1-2 mark in the NSIC.

The Dragons had 42 kills as a team and hit .175 at the net. In total, they had 40 assists, 51 digs and two total blocks. Redshirt-freshman hitter Ellie Rutten had a team-high 11 kills on 24 total attacks (.375). Rutten also had three digs.

Redshirt-freshman setter Makayla Wenzel racked up 37 assists and five digs. Sophomore libero Monica Vega had a team-high 14 digs, while junior defensive specialist Sydney Foss added nine. Redshirt-freshman hitter Sarah Hagler hit .273 with 10 total kills. Hagler had three digs and one block. Junior captain hitter Carly Masloski added 10 kills.

The Dragons went back-and-forth with the Wolves in the first set. With the set tied at 22 all, Northern State went on a 3-1 run to win the set. MSUM hit .250 in the first set. The second set started off the same way as the first. With the set tied at 7-7, Northern State once again went on a run to seemingly put MSUM out of the set. Down 15-21 NSU scored four of the next six points winning the second set 17-25. It was much of the same story in the third set. The wolves built up a comfortable 3-12 lead and never looked back ending the set and match at 18-25.

Up next the Dragons return to Nemzek Fieldhouse for back-to-back home games this Friday and Saturday. On Sept. 23 MSUM welcomes #4 Wayne State with game time at 7 p.m. On Sept. 24 the #14 Augustana Vikings will come to Moorhead for a match beginning at 4 p.m.