North Dakota continues mastery over Montana

Saturday, October 15

Grand Forks, N.D.

11:00 AM (MT)

Montana

4-14, 1-7BSC

North Dakota

15-8, 7-1BSC

Montana

North Dakota

10/15/2016 2:00:00 PM | Volleyball

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By: Montana Sports Information

North Dakota won its 12th straight match over Montana with a 25-23, 25-16, 25-16 victory Saturday afternoon at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center in Grand Forks, N.D.

Eleven of the Fighting Hawks' victories in their winning streak over the Grizzlies have come in 3-0 sweeps. Montana has not picked up a set victory in six trips to Grand Forks.

Sadie Ahearn had a career-high 22 digs, and Alexis Urbach and Missy Huddleston both had 11 kills for Montana (4-14, 1-7 BSC), which dropped its sixth straight match.

North Dakota (15-8, 7-1 BSC) won its sixth consecutive match to remain atop the Big Sky Conference North Division. UND and South Division leader Northern Arizona both have a single league loss.

The Grizzlies had a chance to take an early 1-0 lead. Montana led most of the first set and held North Dakota to .132 hitting, but the Fighting Hawks broke away to win 25-23.

"We had some points fall our way early in the match, but they are a really good team with a lot of fight, so I knew they weren't going to give it to us," said Doyon.

Montana took an 18-17 lead on a kill by Huddleston, but a service error, one of 14 costly errors by the Grizzlies in the set, started a 4-0 run for North Dakota that provided the winning margin.

"A few points here and there, and we go from being up to not quite being able to finish," said Doyon. "We did some great things defensively. I was excited about the way we were playing."

North Dakota hit .372 in the second set, .268 in the third to hit .262 for the match and finish off the sweep.

It happened despite Ahearn's career performance. She dug nine balls in the second set, eight more in the third.

"Sadie was playing great. I think she was playing some of her best volleyball," said Doyon. "They stayed away from our block and continued to swing, and Sadie was back there digging everything. She made some amazing plays and created a lot of offense by extending rallies."

North Dakota jumped out to leads of 11-5 in the second set, 12-5 in the third. Tamara Merseli had 14 kills and 17 digs, Chelsea Moser, UND's lone senior, finished with 10 kills on .421 hitting.

"Early on we were serving well and doing what we wanted to do, which was keep them out of system and challenge their attackers," said Doyon. "As the match went on, we opened up some gaps we just weren't able to close."

Montana will play at Southern Utah on Thursday, at Northern Arizona next Saturday.