MOORHEAD, Minn. -- MSU Moorhead volleyball grabbed the third set from second-ranked Concordia, St. Paul in NSIC play on Friday evening before the Golden Bears rallied for a 3-1 victory.
It has been six years to the day since MSUM's last set win over the Golden Bears (September 29, 2017).
The two teams would trade punches to open the match with MSUM gaining an early 10-9 advantage thanks to a trio of kills from
Bridget Witzmann. Concordia, St. Paul would battle back to build a 15-12 lead on a pair of Dragons errors. The Golden Bears would go on a 4-1 stretch shortly after to push their lead to 20-14. Witzmann would add a kill to pull the set within three points. From there, Concordia, St. Paul went on a 4-0 run to bring themselves to set point. The Golden Bears would win the first set 25-19. Witzmann had five kills in the frame.
Concordia, St. Paul would own most of the second set, building a quick 15-5 advantage thanks to 11 kills in those 15 points. The Dragons would bring the set to within eight points, but that would be the closest MSUM would get. The Golden Bears took set two 25-13 behind a staggering .419 hit percentage.
In a deciding third set, MSUM would showcase the grit and resiliency that has defined the team's season so far. The Dragons and Golden Bears would sit gridlocked at seven points each before Concordia, St. Paul would edge out in front 10-8. MSUM would tie the set at 12 points thanks to kills from Witzmann and Martini. A Golden Bear service error and a kill from
Tori Thompson would help push the Dragons in front 16-15.
Concordia, St. Paul would retake the lead later in the frame (19-18) thanks to back-to-back kills. Down one point, MSUM would go on a 4-0 run with kills from Witzmann and Thompson to pull in front again, 22-19. Another kill from Witzmann and a service error would bring the Dragons to set point. While Concordia, St. Paul would rally to bring the score to 24-23, a kill from
Abby Thompson solidified MSUM's first set win over the Golden Bears in six years.
The fourth set saw both teams going back and forth on the scoreboard with the pair tied at 14 points midway through the set. Concordia, St. Paul would respond with a 5-0 run including three kills. While MSUM would bring the score to within three points (19-16), the Golden Bears would go on another 4-0 run to bring them to within two points of victory. Concordia, St. Paul would seal the win with two kills down the stretch as the Golden Bears hit a whopping .380 percentage in the win. MSUM was also efficient on their attacks, hitting for a .230 clip for the match.
Bridget Witzmann set a new season-high with 20 kills.
Top Dragons
Up Next
MSUM (4-9, 1-4 NSIC) is back on the floor inside Nemzek Fieldhouse tomorrow afternoon for a tilt with Winona State. First serve is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
