CROOKSTON, Minn. – Minnesota State Moorhead volleyball took to the road for an NSIC match on Tuesday evening. The Dragons earned another valuable conference victory in three sets versus Minnesota Crookston.
Both teams would remain even throughout the first few rallies before MSUM created some separation. The Dragons scored four straight points capped by a kill from
Raiah Mandell to put MSUM in front 9-6. While Minnesota Crookston would remain close, the Dragons would lead 15-14 midway through the first set after a kill from
Jadyn Feist.
Maci Martini would score a kill followed by a solo block to help put Moorhead in front by five points (20-15). The Dragons would eventually score six straight points to lead 22-16. MSUM would go on to win the set, 25-18.
The Golden Eagles would respond by taking a small lead to open the second set of play. MSUM would play well from behind, eventually gathering a 10-9 advantage following a solo block from
Mya Pfeifer. From there, the home team would strike on a run to create some separation, leading 15-11. The Dragons would battle back with Martini leading the way. The Pequot Lakes, Minn., native tallied back-to-back kills and would later add another solo block to tie the set at 16 points.
Moorhead would get the lead back as Martini, Feist and
Amanda Lisi would earn points to provide a three-point lead. Minnesota Crookston would come back to tie the count at 22 points before
Brielle Riess stepped in. The sophomore scored the final three points of the set for the Dragons, lifting MSUM to a 25-23 set win.
In the third set, MSUM would continue to hold control of the scoreboard, building a four-point lead after kills from Martini and Mandell. Not long after, setter
Madi Colby would follow Lisi's lead, marking a kill to keep the Dragon lead at four points (11-7). The Golden Eagles would work back into the set, eventually tying the stanza at 12 points. With the score tied at 13 points, MSUM would score on five of six rallies to jump back in front, 19-15. Martini, Mandell and Pfeifer all stamped kills in the stretch.
The Dragons would eventually work towards match point, leading 24-21 after a kill and solo block from Feist. MSUM would win the set, 25-21. Martini led the Dragons with 11 kills, 10 digs and two solo blocks while Riess also notched a double-double of 10 kills and 18 digs.
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Up Next
MSUM (13-7, 7-5 NSIC) plays host to a pair of NSIC matches on Friday and Saturday. The Dragons open up the home stint against Sioux Falls on Friday at 6 p.m.
