TULSA, Okla. – In a 2-hour, 11-minute marathon that featured 38 ties and 11 lead changes, North Dakota State outlasted Oral Roberts 3-1 (25-23, 23-25, 27-25, 27-25) in a Summit League match played Friday, Nov. 9, before 482 fans in the Aerobics Center. The Bison swept the season series after winning in five sets in October.
 
NDSU (8-18, 6-9 SL) is scheduled to close out the regular season at 1 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 11, against South Dakota (18-9, 12-3 SL) in Vermillion.
 
Three kills by Alexis Bachmeier helped North Dakota State break free from a 22-all tie and gain the 25-23 win in the first set. Bachmeier had seven kills in the first and finished with 15 kills and 19 digs overall for her eighth double-double of the season.
 
After Oral Roberts (9-18, 6-9 SL) scored the final two points in the 25-23 set two win, NDSU held off a late Golden Eagles' rally that tied the twice at 24 and 25-all before Kalli Hegerle and Bella Lien combined on a block followed by Lien kill in the middle for the first of two 27-25 wins.
 
Blocking was key for North Dakota State, particularly in the third and fourth sets. The Bison finished with 16.5 team blocks compared to 9 for ORU. Six different NDSU players had two blocks or better including a match-high eight from Emily Halverson, a career-high seven from McKenzie Burke, seven by Lien and four from Bachmeier.
 
Again the score was tied late, at 23, 24 and 25-all. Allie Mauch delivered a kill, while Bachmeier and Lien combined for the stop on the fourth set and match win. Mauch and Halverson each had 16 kills, while Burke and Bachmeier both claimed 15. Burke had her eight double-double of the season adding her 15 digs.
 
Oral Roberts held a .197 to .183 edge in hitting percentage with the teams combining for 214 digs including 113 by the Bison. Ten different players had double-figure digs. It was the most digs collected since Nov. 4, 2016, when NDSU came up with 121 at Fort Wayne (11-4-16). The 113 digs is the fourth best all-time in four sets.
 
Leading the way was Abbi Klos, who was credited with a career-high 38 digs and one shy of matching the NDSU 4-set record of 39 set by Andrea Henning at South Dakota State, ironically on Nov. 9, 2012. The 38 digs are third best all-time. Kaylee Hanger had 18 digs to match her season-high.
 
Hegerle directed the offense with a career-high 56 assists, eclipsing her previous best of 55 also against Oral Roberts. Hegerle added 13 digs for her 10th double-double of the season.
 
CeCe Madison led Oral Roberts with match-high 17 kills, 14 digs and five blocks, while Inka Inkret chipped in 10 kills and 18 digs. Bria Bergman finished with 48 assists and 17 digs, and Tori Roe came up with 31 digs.