MOORHEAD, Minn. – MSU Moorhead volleyball stamped their second-highest hitting percentage of the season to go along with seven service aces in a straight sets win over Minot State on Tuesday night. 
 
The Dragons would provide a quick start that was much needed following a five-set loss to Mary on Saturday. MSUM jumped up 7-1 to begin the first set as Brielle Riess began the match with a kill and service ace. Raiah Mandell would add a trio of kills as part of a 5-0 run to help build the advantage. The Dragons would create a lead as large as seven points after a pair of kills from Mya Pfeifer. Credit to Minot State, who would not waver despite the deficit as the Beavers would come to within one point (14-13) midway in the set. 

Eventually, Minot State would pull even with the Dragons at 17 points before another kill from Pfeifer and a service ace from Emily Ramsay gave MSUM some momentum. Throughout the rest of the set, the teams would bounce back and forth with MSUM leading 23-20 following a kill from Riess. Back-to-back kills from Mandell and Abby Thompson confirmed the frame for the Dragons, 25-20. MSUM hit for a .400 clip in the first set. 

The teams would remain even to begin the second set before Kiara Olesch stepped behind the service line. Olesch helped kickstart a 9-0 Dragons burst with kills from Riess, Mandell and Ramsay. Olesch dropped in a service ace in the tempest as well. Minot State would come as close as six points before MSUM moved back in front by nine points (17-8). The Dragon lead proved to be too much to overcome as the Beavers hit for a .067 percentage with six errors in the frame. A kill from Thompson would bring MSUM a 25-13 set two victory. 

Out of the break, it was Minot State who would begin to rally as they would lead 7-5 to start the third set. Back-to-back kills from Halle Erickson came as part of a 5-1 MSUM run that pushed the Dragons in front by three (11-8). Again, kudos goes to the Beavers, who would go on a 6-1 run to regain the lead, 14-12. MSUM would even the count at 17 points before Minot State took a 20-18 lead late in the frame, forcing a Dragon timeout. Out of the break, Pfeifer would connect on a violent kill that kicked off a match-clinching run for MSUM. Maci Martini would drop in a knuckleball-esque ace as part of the 6-0 Dragon run. To conclude the match, Riess connected on back-to-back-to-back kills that surely deflated the volleyball. The rally helped MSUM to a 25-20 set win. 

In the victory, Riess went for a double-double of 11 kills and 13 digs, her ninth of the 2024 season. Ramsay dropped in three service aces while MSUM hit for a .330 percentage, the second-highest clip of the year. 
 
Top Dragons

• Brielle Riess: 11 kills, 13 digs, service ace, block solo, block assist
• Emily Ramsay: Nine kills, three service aces
• Abby Thompson: Eight kills, block assist
• Raiah Mandell: Eight kills
• Mya Pfeifer: Five kills, three block solos

 
Up Next
 
MSUM (8-10, 3-7 NSIC) remains in Moorhead in a week full of home matches. The Dragons host 25^th-ranked Minnesota Duluth on Friday beginning at 6 p.m.