CROOKSTON, Minn. – Minnesota State Moorhead volleyball earned its third consecutive Northern Sun victory on Thursday evening. The Dragons collected a four-set win over Minnesota Crookston.
Mya Pfeifer and
Brielle Riess would dominate the first set's opening stages, scoring six kills through MSUM's first eight points. Riess would mark her fourth kill to provide Moorhead an 11-6 lead. Four straight points, led by back-to-back kills from
Ava Wild, would force a Golden Eagle timeout with the score 16-10. Minnesota Crookston would get within four out of the break, but MSUM would hit on a run from there.
The Dragons would outscore the Golden Eagles 8-3 to secure a 25-15 set one victory. MSUM would hit for a .410 clip in the set led by five kills from Riess. The teams would take turns with the lead to begin the second set, reaching a gridlock at nine points. MSUM would score seven straight points from there with
Madi Colby earning a pair of service aces. Pfeifer and
Maci Martini would collect block solos in the flurry as well.
Moorhead would lead by as many as seven points (19-12) after three straight scores. However, Minnesota Crookston would work its way back into the set, eventually tying the count at 21 points. MSUM would get a two-point lead back and would preserve that advantage at set point. A service error from the Golden Eagles allowed a sigh of relief for Moorhead, who won set two 25-23.
The Golden Eagles would quickly establish a small lead in the third set's early moments. Minnesota Crookston would build a lead as large as eight points (19-11) later in the set to force a Dragon timeout. Moorhead would pull back within three points following the timeout thanks to spikes from
Raiah Mandell and
Miracle Jensen. The Golden Eagles would go on to outscore MSUM 6-1 to claim the set 25-17. MSUM had 10 total errors in the frame.
Minnesota Crookston would ride that momentum to take a swift 6-1 lead in the fourth stanza. MSUM would match the energy, climbing back to tie the score at seven points before gaining a one-point lead. With the squads tied at 11 points, Moorhead would create some needed separation. Mandell and Pfeifer would team up for a block assist to spark the Dragons, who secured an 18-13 lead following a 7-2 run.
Out of a Minnesota Crookston timeout, Moorhead would continue its onslaught.
Leah Laqua would turn away an attack to give the Dragons a seven-point lead (20-13). The Dragons would only continue to close the match in convincing fashion, scoring three straight points to clinch the frame, 25-17. Mandell led the Dragons on offense with 12 kills and a .304 hitting percentage. Pfeifer was downright lethal all evening, scoring eight kills at an .800 clip as well as five total blocks.
Up Next
MSUM (10-4, 3-2 NSIC) returns home to finish out its split week of NSIC matches. The Dragons host Bemidji State on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
