North Dakota
Volleyball Pulls Out Intense 5-Setter At North Dakota State – Central Michigan University Athletics
FARGO, N.D. – Persistence paid off for the Central Michigan volleyball staff on Friday because the Chippewas went the gap in a gritty fifth set to defeat match host North Dakota State, 3-2, on the Bison’s Bentson/Bunker Fieldhouse.
The Chippewas (6-1) and the Bison (5-4) tallied 70 kills apiece by way of the extraordinary five-set match. CMU claimed the primary two, 25-23, earlier than dropping the third and fourth units, 21-25, 17-25.
CMU then twice fought off match level, the primary at 13-14, the second at 14-15, to surge previous the Bison and take the fifth and remaining set, 20-18. It was CMU’s fourth consecutive victory.
As Mallory Hernandez dropped her match-high 26th kill for the 19-18 benefit, a Bison assault error gave the Chippewas the ultimate level.
A back-and-forth first set left CMU and NDSU tied at 20, which prompted the Chippewas to say 5 of the subsequent eight factors for the set, capped off by Anna Erickson’s ace.
The Chippewas rallied from a 7-12 deficit in set two, using a double block from Erickson and Maddie Whitfield to shift the momentum and transfer ahead one level at a time for the 2-0 benefit.
Regardless of a scorching begin, the Chippewas discovered themselves in a 9-17 deficit within the third set and would solely come as shut as 20-23, with an analogous story within the fourth to immediate the fifth set.
Neither staff gained greater than a two-point lead within the winner-take-all finale. NDSU used its timeouts as CMU led, 11-10 and 13-12. The Chippewas reached match level 4 instances earlier than lastly ending it off.
Hernandez added three blocks and 12 digs. Erickson totaled 11 kills, 12 digs and three blocks.
CMU setters Kamryn Olson and Claire Ammeraal completed with 37 and 16 assists, respectively. Ammeraal tallied six kills.
Whitfield had a team-high six blocks together with 10 kills, whereas CMU libero Aly Gurtiza completed with 25 digs.
The Chippewas are set to shut the North Dakota State Match in opposition to Chicago State (2-6) on Saturday, Sept. 10 (1:30 p.m.). The Cougars fell to the Bison, 3-2, on Friday.