Bison Volleyball Falls to South Dakota in Straight Sets

NDSU drops to 6-3 in conference play.

October 22, 2017

FARGO, N.D. (NDSU Athletics) – South Dakota found momentum late in each set to defeat North Dakota State 3-0 (25-23, 27-25, 26-24) in a Summit League match played Sunday, Oct. 22, before 1,034 fans at the Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse. It was the second time this season attendance went over 1,000 spectators.

NDSU (15-6, 6-3 SL) hits the Summit League road for a pair of matches with teams at the top of the standings. The Bison play at league-leading Oral Roberts at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27, and plays at Denver at 2 p.m. Central Time Sunday, Oct. 29.

South Dakota (13-8, 7-2 SL) took charge late in each set in a highly-contest match that featured 33 ties and 13 lead changes. The Coyotes led 21-16 in the third set, but NDSU fought back to take leads of 23-22 and 24-23 on Erika Gelzinyte kills. However, USD reeled off three straight points on kills from Kelly Law and Elizabeth Loschen, along with a Taylor Wilson and Kristina Susak combination block to end the set and the match.

North Dakota State led set one 21-19 following a kill and service ace from McKenzie Burke, but South Dakota stormed back with a 6-2 run highlighted by kills from Hailey Dotseth, Brittany Jessen and Loschen.

The second set went back-and-forth. Gelzinyte tied the score at 25-all before Susak and Wilson delivered on attacks for the win.

South Dakota outhit NDSU .215 to .200 and held an 8-2 advantage in team blocks. The Bison didn’t record their first block until early in the third set, and also had 11 service errors.

Gelzinyte recorded a match-high 15 kills to pace NDSU, while Burke finished with 10. Gelzinyte reached 1,000 career kills in the first set, combining her numbers at Columbus State and North Dakota State. She now has 1,013.

Brianna Rasmusson recorded 40 assists and 16 digs for her 10th ‘double-double’ of the season and 45th of her career. She became the seventh NDSU player to reach 3,000 assists and 1,000 digs in a career. Rasmusson pushed her career totals to 3,016 assists and 1,047 digs. Mikaela Purnell had a match-high 23 digs.

Dotseth led South Dakota with eight kills and 13 digs. Jessen claimed 29 assists, 11 digs, seven kills and a pair blocks. Anne Rasmussen finished with 17 digs, while Wilson came up with seven kills and four blocks.