MINOT, N.D. – Minnesota State Moorhead senior Maci Martini needed 18 digs to surpass 1,000 for her career entering Saturday's match with Minot State. Martini did that, and then some, tallying a career-best 39 digs to help MSUM to a four set victory.
MSUM claimed the match by set scores of 25-21, 25-27, 25-22 and 25-15. The Pequot Lakes, Minn., native's dig total was just five short of the MSUM single-match record held by Monica Vega.
Martini's 39 digs were the headline-grabbing number, but the Dragons had plenty of contributors in a strong team effort that helped them improve to 14-13 overall and 7-11 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play. MSUM started the afternoon on the right foot, taking the opening set 25-21. The Dragons used a balanced attack to build an early advantage, with Leah Laqua, Raiah Mandell and Mya Pfeifer providing offensive production.
Minot State answered in the second set, turning what had been a close contest into a back-and-forth battle. The Beavers edged the Dragons 27-25 to even the match at one set apiece, forcing MSUM to regroup. A challenge Moorhead was more than up for on this day. The third set featured another tight battle, but the Dragons found a way to finish, pulling out a 25-22 win to regain the match advantage. MSUM then delivered its most convincing performance of the afternoon in the fourth, jumping ahead and pulling away for a 25-15 victory to secure the match.
While Martini was busy keeping rallies alive, Laqua led the Dragons offensively with 12 kills while hitting an efficient .370. Mandell added 10 kills, while Pfeifer contributed nine kills and was a major presence at the net. Pfeifer finished with eight total blocks, including two solo blocks, giving her a team-high 14 points. Ava Wild and Brielle Riess each chipped in three block assists as the Dragons totaled 11 blocks.
The defensive effort extended well beyond Martini's eye-popping total. Miracle Jensen recorded 22 digs, while Ellie Keuseman added 16 and Kiara Olesch finished with 15. The Dragons finished with a 131-121 advantage in digs, keeping pressure on the Beavers throughout the afternoon.
Madi Colby orchestrated the offense with 31 assists, while Brooke Gillingham added 17. Colby and Keuseman each recorded two service aces as MSUM finished with six.
The Dragons held a significant edge in several key categories, finishing with 54 kills to Minot State's 38 and 52 assists compared to 35 for the Beavers. MSUM also finished with an 11-10 advantage in blocks and a commanding 71-53 edge in total points.
Up Next
The Dragons (14-13, 7-11 NSIC) return home to conclude the 2026 regular season in a pair of matches. The weekend begins on Friday in a tilt with Northern State at 6 p.m.
