CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – The North Dakota State volleyball team split at day one of the Stacheville Challenge after coming up short against Austin Peay, 3-1, and then sweeping UT Martin, 3-0, on Friday afternoon.

In the first match of the day, NDSU (7-4) came up short against Austin Peay (5-4), 3-1. Syra Tanchin paced the Bison with a season-high 23 kills to go along with a .367 hitting percentage and nine digs. Ali Hinze added 17 kills and 13 digs, while Kelley Johnson contributed a match-high 48 assists with 17 digs. Logan O'Brien also added a match-best 18 digs with seven assists.

Both teams exchanged points in a tight first set until Hinze connected on a kill to pull the Bison within one, 17-16. The Governors then answered with a 3-1 run to push their edge up to 20-17 following a kill from Mikayla Powell. Austin Peay went on to take the fist set, 25-21.

Both teams continued to battle into the second set that saw 11 ties and three lead changes. Austin Peay grabbed a late 23-22 edge to force an NDSU timeout. Following a kill from Tegan Seyring, the Bison responded to close the set on a 4-0 run capped off by a kill from Tanchin to win the set, 26-24.

In a back and forth third set, the Bison stole the lead, 19-17, after Tanchin notched a kill and a service ace to force an Austin Peay timeout. The Governors answered back later in the frame putting together a 3-0 run to open up a 22-20 advantage. Austin Peay held off NDSU the rest of the way to take the set, 25-21.

NDSU pushed back in the fourth set building a 22-19 edge after a kill from Hinze. The Bison then stretched their lead to 24-21 following a block from Hinze and Alexis Boling. However, the Governors responded to close the set on a 5-0 run to win the frame, 26-24, and the match, 3-1.  

In the second match of the day, NDSU cruised past UT Martin (6-6), 3-0. Baily Randall led the Bison with a season-high 11 kills, while Glover added 10 kills with a .529 hitting percentage. Johnson notched a double-double with a match-best 28 assists and 11 digs. O'Brien contributed a match-high 15 digs on the defensive end with three assists and one ace.

NDSU sprinted out to a 10-4 lead to force a Skyhawks timeout in the first set. The Bison then increased their edge up to 10, 17-7, following a kill from Glover. NDSU held off UT Martin the rest of way to win the set, 25-19. The Bison registered a .387 hitting percentage in the frame and Glover connected on six kills on six attempts.

Both teams exchanged points in the second stanza until the Bison slowly built a 17-10 advantage after a kill from Tanchin. NDSU then pushed their lead into double digits, 20-10, after Johnson delivered a kill. The Bison went on to take the frame, 25-11.

UT Martin pushed back in the third set that featured 14 ties and nine lead changes. Both teams found themselves deadlocked, 19-19, until the Bison snatched a 21-19 lead after a kill from Tanchin and an attack error. NDSU closed the set with three straight points capped off by a service ace from O'Brien to secure the set, 25-21, and the match, 3-0.

NDSU will wrap up play at the Stacheville Challenge against East Tennessee State tomorrow. First serve is set for 11 a.m.