Aberdeen, S.D. – The No. 9 Northern State University volleyball team dropped their NSIC Tournament opener to No. 16 Augustana 3-1 from Wachs Arena. The Wolves drop to 23-6 overall, while the Vikings improved to 23-8 and advanced to the semifinal round of the NSIC Tournament.
 
Northern got out to a hot start in the first set hitting a match high .432 with 17 kills. They defeated the Vikings 25-19 in the set, but went on to fall 25-19, 25-19, and 25-21 in the final three sets. NSU hit .121 in the match with 45 kills, 44 assists, 92 digs, eight blocks, and three aces. The Wolves forced 25 Viking attack errors, however Augustana notched 15 more kills in the match. Northern out-played Augustana on defense with 92 digs to the Vikings 86 and eight blocks to their seven.
 
Hailey Busch led the team on both sides of the ball with 13 kills and a season high 25 digs. The junior averaged 3.25 kills and 6.25 digs per set, while adding one block. Laura Snyder was second on the team with 11 kills, hitting a team leading .250. Holly Vancura and Jenna Reiff followed offensively with nine and eight kills each, while Morgan Baufield and Regan Dennis followed with two apiece.
 
Ashley Rozell racked up 44 assists, averaging 11.00 per set. She led the team with two aces, and added two blocks and six digs. Snyder and Reiff led the team at the net with four blocks, followed by Baufield with three.
 
Jaiden Langlie was all over the floor with 23 total digs, averaging 5.75 per set. She was followed by Snyder with a season and career high ten. Vancura and Lexi Boesl each tallied nine digs, while Reiff and Baufield notched five and three respectively.
 
The Wolves will now await their fate with the NCAA selection show scheduled for next Monday evening at 6:30 p.m. (CT) on NCAA.com. Northern is currently ranked fourth in today's NCAA Central Region rankings.