FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. –
Lauren Jansen and
Baily Randall each contributed a double-double as the North Dakota State volleyball team came up short against Arkansas State, 3-1, on Thursday night at the Razorback Invitational at Barnhill Arena.
Jansen paced the Bison (6-2) with a team-best 13 kills and a .281 hitting percentage. The Plainfield, Ill., native also added 10 digs with two assists, two blocks and one service ace to her stat line. Randall logged her first career double-double with 11 kills and 11 digs.
Maddy Dombeck handed out a team-best 20 assists and
Rya Borer notched a match-best 19 digs.
Arkansas State (5-4) built up a 19-14 advantage in the opening frame after a solo block from Haley Glunz. The Red Wolves, who never trailed in the set, then stretched their lead to 24-18 with a kill from Kaitlin Whitlock. The Bison made one final surge with four straight points to pull within two, 24-22, following a block from
Emma Tallman and
Arianna Blohm. However, Arkansas State held on for the 25-22 win.
NDSU fought back in the second set grabbing a 6-5 advantage with a block from Jansen and Blohm. Arkansas State responded with a 7-1 run of its own to regain the lead, 12-8, with an ace from Libby Gee-Weiler. The Red Wolves went on to hold off the Bison the rest of the way to win the frame, 25-18.
The two teams battled in the third set that saw a match-high 10 ties and five lead changes until the Red Wolves were able to build a late 23-19 edge. The Bison then stormed back with four unanswered points to lock the contest, 23-23, with a solo block from Blohm. Following an Arkansas State timeout, Jansen delivered back-to-back kills to seal the 25-23 win.
The Red Wolves took advantage of attack errors to open a 9-6 advantage in the fourth set. Arkansas State then used a 4-0 run to extend its lead to 21-13 with a service ace from Mia Maloney. NDSU trimmed the deficit down to 21-16 with three straight points capped off by a kill from Randall, but Red Wolves held off the Bison to win the set, 25-19, and the match, 3-1.
NDSU will continue play the Razorback Invitational tomorrow against Arkansas. First serve is set for 7:00 p.m.
