Aberdeen, S.D. – The Northern State University volleyball team opened the Max & Erma's Classic with two 3-0 wins over South Dakota Mines and Minnesota State. The No. 23 Wolves improve to 5-1 on the year with the two victories.
The Wolves opened the day with a swift victory over the Hardrockers, winning in straight sets with scores of 25-11, 25-17, and 25-15. NSU notched 37 kills 37 assists, 48 digs, nine service aces, and eight blocks. The Wolves hit .253 while holding the Hardrockers on defense to a .030 attack percentage.
Hailey Busch led the team with 15 kills, while hitting .286. The junior added eight digs, two aces, and two blocks.
Laura Snyder hit a team leading .400 with five kills, while
Holly Vancura and
Morgan Baufield hit .214 with eight and five kills respectively.
Jenna Reiff rounded out the NSU totals with four kills and a .222 attack percentage.
Ashley Rozell notched 34 assists, averaging 11.33 per set. She also led the team with 12 digs and five service aces, while adding two blocks.
Jaiden Langlie and Vancura were second on the team defensively with ten digs each.
After a two match break, the Wolves were back in action against the Mavericks notching a 3-0 win, with set scores of 25-15, 25-21, and 25-20. The non-conference victory marks the first for the Wolves against an NSIC opponent this season.
NSU recorded a match leading 41 kills, 41 assists, 56 digs, five service aces, and seven blocks. Offensively NSU hit .296 as a unit, while holding Minnesota State to a .160 mark. Northern forced a total of 20 Maverick hitting errors, while giving up just four of their own.
Baufield led the team hitting .583, while adding a team third best nine kills. Busch and Vancura each saw double figures with 11 and ten kills respectively. Vancura was third on the team with a .385 attack percentage behind
Laura Snyder hitting .389 in the match. Snyder notched eight kills, while Rozell and Reiff rounded out the team total with a combined three.
Rozell continued to average double figure assists with 36 total in the win. She was second on the team defensively with 15 digs, notching her second double-double of the season and the day. Langlie was stellar on defense with a team leading 19 digs, averaging 6.33 per set. Busch followed with seven digs, while defensive specialist
Lexi Boesl added six.
NSU will face Minot State and Minnesota Crookston tomorrow at 12:15 p.m. and 7 p.m. from Wachs Arena in the final day of the Max & Erma's Classic.
