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FARGO, N.D. – Jessica Jorgensen connected for a career-high 16 kills and hit .316, while Abbi Klos came up with a career best 31 digs as North Dakota State turned back Fort Wayne 3-2 (25-22, 21-25, 25-18, 25-27, 15-10) in a Summit League slugfest before an appreciative Senior Night crowd of 1,016 in the Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse.
 
NDSU ended a three-match losing streak with the victory and finished the regular season with a 10-2 record inside the BBF. The Bison improved to 2-0 in five-set matches this year.
 
The back-and-forth match is the norm and not the exception when North Dakota State and Fort Wayne meet. The all-time series is tied 18-18.
 
NDSU slammed the door in the fifth set as Erika Gelzinyte claimed three of her 11 kills and tacked on an ace to put the Bison ahead 8-3. Jorgensen finished an attack, McKenzie Burke had a kill, and Brianna Rasmusson and Jorgensen combined on a block to extend the lead to 13-7.
 
Nicole Righnowar with a 16-kill, 21-dig effort helped Fort Wayne (11-17, 3-9 SL) make things interesting and force a fifth set. The Mastodons trailed 24-21, but scored six of the next seven points to win 27-25.
 
The statistics reflected how close the match was. NDSU held a .130 to .128 edge in hitting percentage and had 102 digs compared to 100 for Fort Wayne. Both teams had nine team blocks and three service aces.
 
NDSU setter Brianna Rasmusson flirted with a 'triple-double' with 39 assists, 24 digs and nine kills to finished with her fourth straight 'double-double'. Purnell had 19 digs with her fifth dig moving her to No. 2 all-time in program history, now with 1,589.
 
Bella Lien had a team-high five blocks for the Bison, Jorgensen followed with four and Rasmusson had three.
 
Fort Wayne had three players with double-figure kills. Natalie Seiler collected 12 kills, hit .276 and had a match-high seven blocks. Sydney Boerst had 12 kills. Madison Jaqua and Victoria Mills combined for 52 assists, while Elizabeth Britner pocketed a match-high 35 digs.
 
NDSU (16-8, 7-5 SL) is scheduled to close out the regular season on the road, traveling to Western Illinois for a 7 p.m. match Friday, Nov. 10, and then Omaha for a 1 p.m. meeting Sunday, Nov. 12.