NDSU Tops IUPUI 3-1 to Advance to Summit League Volleyball Semifinals

Friday, November 18

Denver, Colo.

7:30 p.m. MT

North Dakota State Athletics

14-17

IUPUI

12-20

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
IUPUI	25	22	14	19	1
North Dakota State	18	25	25	25	3

Photo by: Kim Hill

NDSU Tops IUPUI 3-1 to Advance to Summit League Volleyball Semifinals

11/18/2016 11:31:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

PHOTO GALLERY

DENVER, Colo. -- Emily Miron connected for 15 kills and hit .462 and Mikaela Purnell tied her career-high with 35 digs as North Dakota State University bounced back from a sluggish start to defeat IUPUI 3-1 (18-25, 25-22, 25-14, 25-19) in a Summit League Volleyball Tournament quarterfinal on Friday, Nov. 18, before 139 spectators at the University of Denver Hamilton Gymnasium.

NDSU (14-17) advances to the semifinals for the first time since 2014 and will face No. 2-seed South Dakota (24-6) at 8:30 p.m. Central Time Saturday, Nov. 19. The Bison improved to 9-5 overall in Summit League tournament play. NDSU has won seven of its last nine matches.

Defense sparked the North Dakota State (14-17) comeback in the second set and the offense took over to hit .405 in the third and .324 in fourth. The Bison reeled off five straight points to break free and take the lead for good on a Hadley Steffen and Miron block, a pair of service aces from Purnell and a Miron kill to take an 11-7 lead.

IUPUI (12-20) tightened things up, closing the gap to 16-15 and 24-22 before NDSU tied the match. Brianna Rasmusson, Steffen and Miron all came up with alert plays at the net, while Emily Milligan, Morgan Morgan and Purnell turned in solid defensive plays. Morgan turned a tough serve just outside the 10-foot line into a nifty pass on the deciding second set point.

North Dakota State displayed a balanced attack in the third set led by the four kills from Alex Erickson and Miron, while Emily Minnick, Steffen and Rasmusson each had three. Miron had a pair of solo blocks, while Purnell came up with 10 digs in the third.

The Bison outhit IUPUI .245 to 174 overall. Minnick had 14 kills, while Steffen and Erickson each had nine. Erika Gelzinyte came up with five key kills, five digs, a service ace and solo block. Rasmusson handed out 47 assists to go along with 15 digs and six kills. Steffen and Purnell each had a pair of service aces.

Gabby Fisher had nine of her match-high 19 kills for the Jaguars in the first set, while Kori Waelbroeck added 13. Abby Boatman collected a match-high five blocks, Jessica Helms claimed 16 digs and Alexis Mapes finished with 40 assists and 14 digs.