Box Score
Big Sky Tournament Central
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (November 19, 2015) – While the theme of five-set thrillers was nothing new to the young but heated Big Sky Volleyball rivalry between Idaho and North Dakota, the end result was. The Vandals earned their first win in five tries over UND, outlasting them for a 3-2 victory in Thursday’s Big Sky quarterfinals.
Kaela Straw led the second-seeded Vandals (14-15) with 18 kills and a .433 hitting percentage, while Katelyn Peterson recorded a double-double with 15 kills and 20 digs. Idaho hit .251 to battle past a strong blocking effort from UND. Tineke Bierma (15) and Sarah Sharp (13) each notched double-digit kills for Idaho and Terra Varney had a match-high 22 digs and three service aces.
Despite previously being 0-4 against the Fighting Hawks, Idaho had won its share of sets, and they got the all-important third set victory at the best time. Thursday’s match marked the fourth time in five meetings that the teams have battled to five sets.
Idaho hit .265 in the opening set, as Straw connected on all five attacks to help the Vandals take the 25-23 decision. Faith Dooley helped UND assume control in the second set, assisting on five blocks to end on a 13-2 run to tie the match at one set apiece.
Both teams hit over .300 in the third set, a back-and-forth battle that featured 16 ties and four lead changes. UND fended off two set points from Idaho with a 3-0 run, but the Vandals stayed alive and scored the next three points to win the set 27-25.
The Fighting Hawks trailed by six early in the fourth set, but stormed ahead with a 16-5 run to go up 20-15. Chelsea Moser had eight kills during that set, helping UND win 25-20 to once again send the teams to a fifth set.
Idaho hit .292 and held UND to a .000 percentage in the fifth set, turning a 9-6 lead into a 13-7 advantage late. Varney’s third service ace of the match clinched the match for the Vandals, advancing them to tomorrow’s first semifinal match.
No. 7 seed North Dakota (21-13) saw its season end despite having an advantage in hitting percentage (.276) and blocking (17-9). Moser led the Fighting Hawks with a career-high 22 kills and six blocks, while Faith Dooley chipped in 14 kills and 11 blocks. Both Moser and Dooley hit over .400 for the match, while Courtney Place contributed 18 kills and eight digs. Dooley's 11 block assists tied a championship single-match record.
UI will await the winners of Thursday’s second quarterfinal match between No. 3 Idaho State and No. 6 Eastern Washington.