Box Score
GRAND FORKS, N.D. (November 19, 2016) – Once the North Dakota Volleyball team got on a roll, not much could get in its way. The No. 1 Fighting Hawk defeated No. 3 Northern Arizona 3-0 Saturday in the Big Sky Championship match, earning the school’s first NCAA Division I tournament bid.
Fueled by four all-tournament team selections who coincidentally were each Big Sky first team selections, as well as a raucous crowd of 1,512, UND never dropped a set in the tournament to be tabbed as undisputed champions. UND hit .278 with 48 kills and a 6-3 block advantage.
"I just have so much joy and pride for these 17 young women," UND head coach Mark Pryor said. "I am so proud to see them accomplish a goal that they put forth at midnight 102 days ago. We talked at our first practice about “if you want to be last, you have to be willing to be first”. First in the practice gym, first to push yourself harder internally, first to recognize and resolve conflict, and first to recognize your areas for growth. This team did that every step of the way.”
With its balance getting them this far, it showed on the all-tournament team as Faith Dooley was named tournament MVP and was joined by teammates Chelsea Moser, Sydney Griffin and Tamara Merseli. Dooley totaled 10 kills with four blocks, Merseli grabbed 11 kills and seven digs, Moser had seven kills on 13 swings and Griffin put down eight kills along with 36 assists.
UND became just the fourth team to average a hitting percentage over .300 during the tournament. Ashley Brueggeman finished with nine kills and three blocks and Alivia Fraase’s 22 digs was easily a match high.
The final score was however a bit misleading, as UND was given a tough test by the defending champion Lumberjacks. The teams exchanged runs back and forth, before a 5-1 run from the Hawks with two kills from Dooley pushed them to a 16-13 lead. NAU fought back to make it 18-19, but Brueggeman had two kills during a 3-0 spurt, and the teams again exchanged points before Griffin got a dump kill to take a thrilling opening set 25-22.
The second set had a similar feel, with UND reeling off five straight points to break a 13-all tie as Dooley had a solo block and combined with Griffin for two more. NAU could only pull within three, and UND would prevent them from scoring consecutive points the rest of the set, winning 25-20.
With momentum on their side and a championship on the cusp, UND swung at a .378 hitting clip in the final frame. UND pieced together a 6-1 surge to extend its 8-7 lead to 14-8. Griffin had two more kills to get the lead to 21-13 and UND would score the last four points of the match, with consecutive kills from Merseli setting up match point and a NAU attack error sealing it.
"Tonight’s match was not won simply tonight,” said Pryor. “It was won with each 6:30 a.m. lifting session. It was won with each monotonous practice drill that they completed. It was won with how they made choices to treat teammates well, and to remain focused and dialed in to obtain their goal. Tonight was not a shock to many people, but more of a public service announcement that this team is special.”
NAU made its second straight strong run in the tournament, but ran out of gas a bit hitting .142 with 17 attack errors. Seniors Lauren Jacobsen (14 kills, nine digs) and Jensen Barton (30 assists, eight digs) each claimed their second straight all-tournament selection, while Kaylie Jorgenson added nine kills.
The other all-tournament selection was libero Lexie Skalbeck from Sacramento State, who totaled 54 digs in two matches and an average of 6.00 per set. Skalbeck’s 34 digs in a semifinal loss to NAU were the most in a four-set Big Sky tournament match.
UND improved its winning streak to 11 matches and has dropped just one set during the month of November. Now awaiting the Fighting Hawks is their first NCAA Division I pairing. UND will find out who it faces in the NCAA tournament on the selection show Sunday, Nov. 27 at 8 p.m. CT
"I want to thank my staff for all their hard work in making this possible,” said Pryor. “They are amazing people that make a stressful job much more fun than it actually is sometimes, and I am grateful for that. I also want to thank the Grand Forks community for all their support this year. Without their support tonight, it may have been a different outcome. This championship belongs to Grand Forks as well as UND volleyball."