Box Score

BISMARCK, N.D. – Northern State University used a balanced offensive attack and a solid performance from the serving line to post a 3-1 win (26-24, 25-17, 23-25, 25-18) over the host University of Mary Marauders Saturday night in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference volleyball action.

The win, NSU's third in its last four matches, comes in the first of two straight matches against the Marauders.  U-Mary will travel to Aberdeen for a re-match on Wednesday.  The Wolves improved to 11-9 overall and 3-8 in NSIC play, while the Marauders slipped to 5-15 on the season and 1-10 in the loop.

The night nearly had a different flavor to it, as U-Mary held a 24-21 edge over the Wolves in the opening set before watching NSU rally with three kills, a service ace and a Marauder attacking error to steal the set 26-24.  The Wolves repeated the pattern in Set 2, claiming the final five points of the stanza to go into the break with the 2-0 advantage.

NSU raced out to a 9-4 advantage to open the third set, but this time it was U-Mary's turn to rally for the.  Three straight NSU attacking errors late in the set put the Marauders up 21-20.  The Wolves forced ties at points 21 through 23, but U-Mary's Julie Paradine and Laci Murtha put the set away with back-to-back kills.

The Wolves returned to form in the fourth set, however, pulling steadily away from the Marauders before rattling off four straight points to cap the set and match.  Sophomore libero Ella Campbell closed out the night with her second and the tenth team service ace of the contest.

NSU had four players who finished with nine or more kills on the night, led by senior Whitney Morsching's 12 kills on 24 attempts.  Morsching also had three blocks at the net.