MOORHEAD, Minn. – If there was ever a definition of 'statement win', Minnesota State Moorhead volleyball illustrated it Friday evening in NSIC action. The Dragons used early energy and electric offense in a four-set victory over (RV) Northern State.
MSUM picked up one of its biggest wins of the season, knocking off the Wolves 3-1 in front of a raucous home crowd. The Dragons took the match by scores of 26-24, 25-17, 16-25 and 25-19, handing Northern State (19-8, 14-5 NSIC) a harsh conference loss. It is the first win over Northern State by a Dragon team since September 24, 2013.
MSUM set the tone early in a tightly contested opening set. The Wolves pushed the Dragons to extra points, but MSUM stayed composed and closed out a 26-24 win to grab the early advantage. Moorhead trailed 13-4 early in the set before the Dragons defense sparked a comeback that ultimately set the tone for the match.
The Dragons carried that momentum into the second set, putting together an impressive all-around performance. MSUM recorded 14 kills while holding Northern State to just eight, pulling away for a 25-17 victory and a commanding 2-0 lead.
The Wolves responded in the third, hitting an impressive .407 to take a 25-16 decision and extend the match. But the Dragons weren't about to let a big opportunity slip away.
MSUM answered in the fourth set with its best offensive output of the night, collecting 16 kills while committing just four attack errors. The Dragons hit .286 in the frame and pulled away for a 25-19 win, sealing the four-set triumph.
Raiah Mandell led the offensive charge with a match-high 18 kills, hitting .387 while adding 18.5 points. Ava Wild was also outstanding, finishing with 11 kills on 19 attempts for a .474 hitting percentage. Wild had an array of kills throughout the match that erupted Nemzek Fieldhouse. Mya Pfeifer chipped in eight kills, while Leah Laqua added six.
Laqua was an absolute force at the net, finishing with eight total blocks, including two solo blocks. Her performance helped the Dragons finish with a 10-7 advantage in team blocks.
The Dragons also made their presence felt from the service line. Maci Martini recorded three aces, while Madi Colby and Brooke Gillingham each added two as MSUM finished with 10 service aces. Colby led the setting effort with 25 assists, and Gillingham added 22. Martini paced the defensive effort with 13 digs, while Colby contributed 12 and Kiara Olesch finished with 11.
The team numbers told the story of a complete performance. MSUM outhit Northern State .268 to .200, finished with more kills (54-49), and dominated the defensive battle with a 71-49 advantage in digs.
Up Next
MSUM (15-13, 8-11 NSIC) will host Senior Day tomorrow afternoon with Jamestown visiting Nemzek Fieldhouse. First serve is slated for 1 p.m.
