NDSU Volleyball Starts Season Off With Exhibition Win Over MSUM

Bison won in straight sets

FARGO, N.D. — (NDSU Athletics) The North Dakota State volleyball team topped MSU Moorhead, 3-0, in exhibition play on Saturday night at Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse.

“Today was a great opportunity for us to compete, work through some different lineups with a lot of kids and also play someone other than ourselves,” said head coach Jennifer Lopez. “MSU Moorhead did some great things both offensively and defensively and challenged us extremely well, so it was great to be able to compete against them as we head into our first non-conference weekend with a focus to get better in those areas.”

After exchanging points early in set one, Ali Hinze connected on a kill to lock the contest, 6-6. The Bison then captured momentum building a 15-11 edge and forcing a Dragon timeout. NDSU didn’t look back from there and took the opening frame, 25-20.

In the second set, the Dragons ran out to a 13-8 advantage before the Bison battled back to tie the frame, 18-18. Both teams then traded points until NDSU grabbed the final two and secured the win, 27-25, after Morgan Middleton was able to sneak a kill past the MSU Moorhead defense.

The Bison began to put the match away after Alexis Boling delivered a kill to open up a 17-12 edge in the third stanza. Boling continued to roll sending an ace past the Dragons to push the lead into double digits, 22-12. NDSU went on to close the frame, 25-14, and earn the 3-0 win.

North Dakota State will begin regular season play next Friday at the Green Bay Invite in Green Bay, Wis. The Bison will face Northern Iowa on Friday at 1:30 p.m. before wrapping up the day against Green Bay at 7:00 p.m.