SAN ANGELO, Texas – A career-high 17 kills from
Maci Martini helped lift Minnesota State Moorhead volleyball to a two-match split to begin the 2026 regular season. Moorhead fell in three sets to UT Permian Basin before topping CSU Pueblo in five sets to open the Kathleen Brasfield Invitational.
Falcons 3, Dragons 0
Both teams would look to find a rhythm on both sides of the net to begin set one.
Mya Pfeifer would slam the inaugural kill for Moorhead to equalize the score at two points. The Falcons would push in front by two points and would preserve a slim lead as the frame pressed forward. A short three-point run would extend the Permian Basin lead to four. While MSUM would come back within two, the Falcons would respond by stretching their lead to eight points (18-12).
UT Permian Basin would keep an arm's length as the set neared a conclusion. Moorhead would put together a late run, sparked by an
Ava Wild kill. The Dragons would come within two points (23-21) after back-to-back kills from
Leah Laqua and
Brielle Riess, forcing a Falcon timeout. Out of the break, MSUM would even the count at 23 points with Riess striking again. The Dragons would earn their first lead of the set after freshman
Brooke Gillingham dropped in a service ace. Both teams would trade points, pushing the frame beyond 25 points.
A
Maci Martini kill would have Moorhead up 29-28 before the Falcons closed the set with three straight points. The first set loss did not deter MSUM as the second set began with the Dragons jumping out to a 3-1 lead. A block assist from Riess and Pfeifer would lead the early points for Moorhead. The teams would trade the lead near the midway point of the set with MSUM leading by as many as two points. UT Permian Basin would lead by as much as four before Moorhead pulled within two points (23-21) late in the stanza. The Falcons would earn the next two points to win 25-21.
The Falcons would build a 9-5 lead to begin a deciding third set. UT Permian Basin would extend its lead to seven points (17-10) midway through the frame. Moorhead would come within five points, but the Falcons would claim the set, 25-17. The Dragons fell victim to 38 total errors in the match. Riess led MSUM with 11 kills, followed by Martini (8), Wild (6) and
Raiah Mandell (6).
Dragons 3, Thunderwolves 2
CSU Pueblo would jump out to an 8-2 lead in the first set thanks to a potent offensive attack. The Thunderwolves would continue to extend their lead, securing a 13-4 lead after four straight points. MSUM would trail by as many as 12 points in a stanza that was commanded by CSU Pueblo (25-13). The Thunderwolves held a .393 hitting percentage and four service aces in the frame.
The second set would see the Dragons respond in earnest, building a early 7-2 lead. Laqua would tally a pair of kills in the opening burst. Not long after, four straight points for the Dragons extended their lead to 13-5.
Mya Pfeifer kicked off the run with a kill, followed by kills from Mandell and freshman
Miracle Jensen. The frosh and Laqua would team up for a block assist to cap the flurry.
Moorhead was not finished there, extending their lead to double figures following a spike from Martini. CSU Pueblo would come as close as seven points before the Dragons scored the final six points of the set to win 25-11. Pfeifer again jolted the run with Jensen, Mandell and Gillingham registering kills. Mandell also showcased her defense with a block solo. In the second set, Moorhead hit for a whopping .472 clip.
Although the Thunderwolves would take an early lead in the third set, MSUM would even the score at seven points after a block solo from Wild. Midway through the set, Moorhead led 15-10 after a block solo from Pfeifer. The Dragons would lead by as many as eight points (21-13) after another kill from Jensen. CSU Pueblo would rally from there, cutting that deficit in half before MSUM reached set point. A spike from Wild secured a 25-21 set win for the Dragons.
Wild and Jensen would continue to lead the Dragons into the fourth stanza, helping the Dragons build a 5-2 lead. CSU Pueblo would take command of the set from there, outscoring the Dragons to build a 17-11 advantage. A
Kiara Olesch kill would have MSUM within five points (22-17) late in the frame. However, CSU Pueblo would push the match to a fifth set, winning 25-19.
In the deciding fifth set, MSUM would use a 4-1 run to take an 8-4 lead. Martini sparked the run with a service ace before Pfeifer and Mandell added kills. Moorhead would force a Thunderwolves timeout following a trio of kills from Wild, Martini and Jensen. The Dragons would hit set point, leading by six points following two more kills from Martini and Wild. Martini finished the match off for the Dragons, capping an all-around showing from the senior.
The Pequot Lakes, Minn., native turned in a double-double of 17 kills (a career-high) and 12 digs to go along with a pair of aces. Mandell added 13 kills on an effective .458 hitting percentage while Jensen logged her first career double-double of 12 kills and 19 digs. Wild chipped in 11 kills with senior setter
Madi Colby logging a double-double of 32 assists and 3 digs. The assist tally matches Colby's career high.
Up Next
MSUM (1-1) will wrap up play at the Kathleen Brasfield Invitational tomorrow with a pair of matches. The Dragons take on Fort Lewis College at 11 a.m. before battling 21
st-ranked Angelo State at 3:30 p.m.
