DALLAS, Texas – Minnesota State Moorhead volleyball began the 2025 season in style on Friday as the Dragons earned a pair of victories to open the Dallas Classic. The Dragons would collect a reverse sweep win to open the season, defeating St. Edward's in five sets. MSUM would conclude the day in a traditional sweep of East Central.
Dragons 3, Hilltoppers 2
Two kills from
Raiah Mandell helped the Dragons keep pace early in the first set. Moorhead would attain its first lead of the match after a kill from
Mya Pfeifer. Not long after, back-to-back strikes from a returning
Jadyn Feist helped the Dragons build a three-point lead. MSUM would hold a lead as large as three points midway through the set before the Hilltoppers settled in. The teams would trade punches as the set neared a conclusion with St. Edward's claiming a 21-19 lead following a Dragon error.
Following an MSUM timeout, Mandell would step in, slamming down a pair of kills to bring the Dragons to within one point (22-21). However, the Hilltoppers would respond, ending the set on a 3-0 burst to win the frame, 25-21. Mandell led MSUM in the first set with five kills. St. Edward's would start off the second set with a lead and would not relinquish it, building an advantage as large as six points (16-10). The Dragons would claw back on the scoreboard, capitalizing on three Hilltopper errors to trail by just one (20-19). St. Edward's would then go on another run to close the set, scoring five straight to win 25-19.
The Dragons would see a bounce back effort to begin the third set as
Brielle Riess sparked a 4-0 run with a service ace and kill. MSUM would retain command of the scoreboard midway through the set following a pair of kills from senior
Jocelin Feutz. Back-to-back points from
Ruby Bones and Riess would give the Dragons a 14-9 lead, forcing a Hilltopper timeout. Following the break, Moorhead would continue its strong play, earning kills from Pfeifer and Bones as well as an ace from
Maci Martini. St. Edward's would make a push late in the set, but the Dragons would hold on (25-19) after Riess' 11
th kill of the match.
In the fourth frame, St. Edward's would jump out to an 8-4 lead before the Dragons would score four straight points, capped by a kill from Feutz. The equalizing play forced a Hilltopper timeout with the score knotted at eight points. The Dragon burst would continue after back-to-back service aces from
Kiara Olesch. MSUM would create a lead as large as five points before the Hilltoppers pulled to within one point (13-12). St. Edward's would go on to tie the match at 17 points each. The Dragons would proceed to fire off a 5-0 run to lead 22-17. That run helped Moorhead tie the match, winning the set, 25-21.
In the pivotal fifth set, MSUM would fall down early, before tying the set at five points each. The Dragons would build a three-point advantage after that in the race to 15 points. While the Hilltoppers would tie the match at 10 points, MSUM would score three straight to come to within two points of victory. St. Edward's would come as close as a point (13-12) before Riess and Pfeifer closed down the match with kills. MSUM would complete the reverse sweep as Mandell led the way with 18 kills. Riess and Pfeifer combined for 27 kills in the victory.
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Dragons 3, Tigers 0
A back and forth first set would see the teams trade points throughout. Neither team held a lead larger than three points as MSUM would lead 16-13 thanks to an ace from Feist. After Pfeifer earned a kill late in the set, MSUM would remain in front by two points (19-17). From there, the Tigers would rally back to regain the lead, 21-20 after a Dragon attack error. East Central would take a two-point lead in the next rally before MSUM battled back. The Dragons would outscore the Tigers 4-1 in the remainder of the set as a kill from Feutz and an ace from
Amanda Lisi sealed the victory for MSUM.
MSUM would use that momentum to jump in front at the beginning of the second frame, building a five-point lead as five different Dragons earned kills. MSUM would continue its forward pace, keeping the lead at six points near the midway point (13-7). Riess, Mandell and Bones would collect kills to extend the MSUM lead to eight points (16-8). As the set neared a conclusion, the Dragons were in control the whole way, never letting their lead dip below six points. MSUM would claim the frame, 25-17 after a stirring block solo from Feist.
A closely contested third set would break out as East Central held a small lead in the early stages. Tied at 10 points each, the Tigers would go on a 5-1 run to take a comfortable 15-11 advantage. MSUM would answer back, eventually evening the score at 17 points thanks to a kill from Bones. Pfeifer, Feutz and Riess all earned kills in the comeback stretch with Pfeifer using her leaping ability to turn away a Tiger attack as well.
The squads would trade points from there, eventually landing in a 21-21 stalemate. Feist would earn a kill, followed by an East Central error to lead 22-20. A bad set from the Tigers would bring the Dragons to match point, leading 24-22. To conclude the match, Pfeifer stamped her sixth kill of the match on an assist from
Madi Colby. The attack solidified a three-set sweep for the Dragons
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Up Next
Moorhead (2-0) is back on the court inside the Burg Center tomorrow for a 9 a.m. match with Southwest Baptist. The Dragons will also take on tournament host (RV) Dallas Baptist at 2 p.m. tomorrow.
