TULSA, Okla. – The North Dakota State volleyball team topped Oral Roberts, 3-1, to begin Summit League play on Thursday night at Mabee Center.

With the win, NDSU improves to 9-3 (1-0 Summit) on the season and it marks the second straight season the Bison have started conference play 1-0. Oral Roberts drops to 2-11 (0-1 Summit) with the loss.

Alexis Boling paced the Bison with a team-high 16 kills to go along with a .464 hitting percentage. Ali Hinze posted her seventh double-double of the season with a team-best 16 digs and 13 kills. Kelley Johnson contributed a match-high 44 assists, while Taylor Quan also chipped in 15 digs.

NDSU grinded out the first frame after both teams found themselves locked, 15-15. The Bison were then able to put together a 5-0 run following errors to grab a 20-15 edge. NDSU held off Oral Roberts the rest of the way to take the set, 25-22.

Both teams once again traded points to begin the second set to tie the frame, 10-10. The Bison then rattled off six unanswered to build a 16-10 lead following an ace from Hinze. NDSU went on to take the set, 25-18.

Oral Roberts pushed back in the third frame grabbing a 10-7 edge after a service ace from Breanna Rivas. NDSU fought its way back trimming the deficit down to two late in the frame, 23-21, following a solo block from Ally Barth. However, the Bison couldn't cut the edge down any further and dropped the frame, 25-22.

Oral Roberts carried the momentum into the fourth set jumping out to a 9-5 lead. The Bison battled back with five straight points to regain the lead, 16-14, following a block by Hinze and Barth. NDSU then increased its lead to three, 19-16, after Boling and Arianna Blohm added another block. The Bison closed out the set, 25-21, and the match, 3-1.

NDSU will continue its road swing at Denver on Saturday afternoon. First serve is set for 2:00 p.m. CT