MOORHEAD, Minn. -- MSU Moorhead volleyball dropped a match against a sharp Minnesota Duluth squad on Friday evening. The 25th-ranked Bulldogs used a solid service attack to take the match in three sets.
While it was MSUM who would start the match hot thanks to kills from
Brielle Riess and
Raiah Mandell, Minnesota Duluth would quickly stamp their mark on the first set. The Bulldogs used an impressive service game to force the Dragons out of their original offensive rhythm. Leading 11-8, Minnesota Duluth would piece together a 7-0 run, which included two service aces. Another kill from Mandell would snap the Dragon drought to make the score 18-9 in favor of the Bulldogs. MSUM would come as close as nine points (20-11), but Minnesota Duluth would claim the set behind a 5-0 run. The Bulldogs were astronomically efficient in the first set, stamping a .565 percentage with just one error.
Minnesota Duluth would continue their momentum, earning a 6-2 advantage to begin the second set. The teams would trade points near the midway point as kills from
Emily Ramsay,
Halle Erickson and
Abby Thompson helped bring the Dragons to within two points (10-8). While the Bulldogs would maintain control of the scoreboard, a Ramsay kill would bring the Dragons to within one (14-13). A monster kill from Thompson, followed by a Bulldog error would make the set 20-18 in favor of Minnesota Duluth as the visiting team opted for a timeout. Out of the break, UMD would conclude the set on a 5-1 run with three of those points coming off Dragon errors. The Bulldogs won the frame, 25-19.
The Dragons would lead 3-1 in the third set following a denial at the net by
Ruby Bones. From there, Minnesota Duluth would fire off a 11-0 run to take a commanding 12-3 advantage. In the stretch, MSUM had five errors while the Bulldogs also dropped in another service ace. The Dragons would be unable to mount a comeback against the Bulldog lead as Minnesota Duluth would take the set and match behind a 25-8 third set victory. Minnesota Duluth had a .407 hitting percentage for the contest as well as six service aces.
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Up Next
The Dragons (8-11, 3-8 NSIC) return to Nemzek Fieldhouse tomorrow afternoon for a 3:30 p.m. match against third-ranked St. Cloud State.
