NDSU Extends Win Streak to Eight With 3-1 Summit League Win Over Denver

Friday, September 29

Fargo, N.D.

7 p.m.

North Dakota State Athletics

12-3, 3-0SL

Denver

10-4, 1-1SL

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
Denver	28	15	23	23	1
NDSU	26	25	25	25	3

Photo by: Carrie Snyder

NDSU Extends Win Streak to Eight With 3-1 Summit League Win Over Denver

9/29/2017 10:25:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

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FARGO, N.D. -- North Dakota State University extended its winning streak to eight matches with a hard-fought 3-1 (28-26, 25-15, 25-23, 25-23) win over Denver in a Summit League match played Friday, Sept. 29, before 1,126 fans on Alumni Night in the Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse. The Pioneers, ranked 18th in the Volleyball Mag.com/NIVC Mid-Major Top 25, have won the last three league tournament titles.

NDSU (12-3, 3-0 Summit League) is scheduled to host Oral Roberts (6-9, 3-0 SL) at 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 1. The Golden Eagles won 3-0 at South Dakota State on Friday night.

The current Bison were looking to impress Carrie (Jacobson) Motschenbacher, who was inducted into the Bison Athletic Hall of Fame earlier in the day. Motschenbacher was a three-time Division II All-American and the NDSU all-time leader in blocks.

Sparked by 6-foot-1 freshman Allie Mauch's season-high seven blocks, North Dakota State controlled the play at the net with a commanding 13-4 advantage in team blocks. Jessica Jorgensen had four blocks, while McKenzie Burke and Bella Lien both had three. The 13 team blocks were a season-high. Four of Mauch's blocks were solos. The Bison outhit Denver .177 to .127.

North Dakota State had to rebound from a disappointing 28-26 loss in the first set that saw Denver (10-4, 1-1 SL) rally from a 24-21 deficit. The Bison bounced back in set two, connecting for a .440 hitting percentage.

NDSU had to rally from a six-point deficit to secure the set three win and trailed by four, 17-13, in set four. The Bison reeled off six straight points taking advantage of kills from Lien, Mauch and Burke, along with three Pioneers' miscues. Denver did take a 20-19 lead on an Olivia Novotny ace. NDSU then stormed in front 23-20 highlighted by a Mauch solo block and kill.

Jorgensen, who was playing in her third match of the season, led North Dakota State with 12 kills. Lien followed with 10 kills, matching her season-high for the third time, and Mach added nine. Brianna Rasmusson recorded her third straight double-double with 39 assists and 21 digs. Mikaela Purnell claimed a match-high 23 digs.

Becca Latham led Denver with 13 kills, while Teal Schnurr added 11. Piyusha Boteju and Ellie Anderson combined for 38 assists, and Cassidy Rooke had 20 digs.