MOORHEAD, Minn. -- Minnesota State Moorhead volleyball was competitive in each set in Saturday afternoon's match with 17th-ranked Southwest Minnesota State. Ultimately, the Mustangs defeated the Dragons in three sets.
Southwest Minnesota State would jump out of the gates with a five-point lead (10-5) to begin the first set. Moorhead would answer back, scoring on four straight rallies to bring the score within one point.
Leah Laqua tallied a pair of blocks in the stretch while
Maci Martini added a service ace. With the Mustangs leading 14-13,
Raiah Mandell would stamp a kill to knot the set even at 14 points. The Mustangs would respond by pushing back in front by three points with the Dragons coming back to within one after another ace from Martini (18-17). Throughout the remainder of the frame, MSUM would come as close as two points (21-19) before the Mustangs went on to win the set, 25-21.
The teams would trade punches to open the second stanza before MSUM collected its first lead of the match. An ace from
Brielle Riess had the Dragons up 6-5 early. Southwest Minnesota State would be quick to rebuild their lead, pushing their advantage to four points (11-7) near the midway point. That is when the Dragons rallied back again, hitting on a 6-1 run to regain the scoreboard, 13-12.
Jocelin Feutz tallied a kill in the flurry while Laqua added one as well. The Dragons would hold a lead as large as two points (18-16) as the teams neared the end of the set. The Mustangs would then score on four straight rallies to take a two-point lead of their own. Trailing 21-19, Moorhead would score three straight points, capped by a kill from Martini to lead 22-21. The teams would hit a gridlock at 23 points before the Mustangs claimed the final two points of the set, winning 25-23.
MSUM would come out in the third set and quickly hold a one-point lead after a kill from
Mya Pfeifer as well as a block from Laqua. Southwest Minnesota State would answer again, marking an 8-2 run to jump back in front by five points (14-9). The Mustangs would remain in front by five points with the set waning. Moorhead would trail 19-15 before the Dragons posted one final burst. MSUM would score on five of six rallies to knot the score at 20 points each. Pfeifer had a pair of kills in the stretch with Martini adding two of her own as well. As was the case all afternoon, Southwest Minnesota State would respond to the Dragon tempest, scoring the final five points of the match to win 25-20.
Top Dragons
Up Next
MSUM (13-9, 7-7 NSIC) is back on the road for tests against Wayne State and Augustana next weeekend. The stretch begins with the nationally-ranked Wildcats on Friday, October 31 at 6 p.m.
