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FARGO, N.D. – North Dakota State broke free midway through the second set and kept Western Illinois at a distance to post a 3-0 (25-19, 25-19, 25-14) win in a Summit League match played Sunday, Oct. 15, before 597 fans at the Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse. The Bison improved to 8-1 at home this season.
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NDSU (14-5, 5-2 SL) moved into a second-place tie in the league standings with South Dakota and Denver, a half-game behind first-place Oral Roberts. The Bison host South Dakota State (2-18, 0-7 SL) at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 17.
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Western Illinois (6-15, 1-6 SL) had tied the second set at 16-all on a Jaime Johnson kill before NDSU reeled off three straight points including kills from
Alexis Bachmeier and
Erika Gelzinyte to take a 19-16 lead. The set was tied 10 times and the lead changed hands on three occasions.
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The Bison kept the lead and closed out the set with a 9-3 run as
Brianna Rasmusson,
Bella Lien,
Allie Mauch and Gelzinyte all contributed.
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North Dakota State kept the momentum and gradually pulled away from the Leathernecks in the third. The offense connected for a .395 hitting percentage in the third set and finished at .233 overall compared to .151 for Western Illinois. Both teams had five team blocks.
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NDSU was sparked by
McKenzie Burke, who collected six of her match-high 12 kills in the third set.
Jessica Jorgensen claimed nine kills, Gelzinyte had seven, and Mauch added six kills and five blocks.
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Rasmusson had 37 assists, nine digs and three kills.
Mikaela Purnell pocketed a match-high 27 digs to reach 25-plus digs for the sixth time this season and 17th time in her career.
Abbi Klos had 11 digs, two service aces and her second career kill.
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Shalyn Greenhaw had nine kills, nine digs and four blocks for Western Illinois. Jaime Johnson had 31 assists, while Claire Grove came up with 18 digs.
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