Marshall, Minn.(nsuwolves.com) – The No. 18 Northern State University volleyball team returned to favor to No. 12 Southwest Minnesota State Tuesday evening. The Wolves defeated the Mustangs on their home court in the opening round of the NSIC Tournament.
THE QUICK DETAILS
Final Score: NSU 3, SMSU 1
Records: NSU 21-6, SMSU 23-5
Attendance: 833
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Northern opened the match with a 25-19 victory in set one and fell 25-20 in set two
- They rallied back for 25-18 and 25-20 victories in the third and fourth, sealing the win and advancing in the post season
- The Wolves led the match with 76 digs, 12 blocks, and five aces, while adding 55 kills and 53 assists
- They hit .239 in the win and held the Mustangs to a .179 attack percentage
- Three Wolves recorded double figure offensive numbers led by Natalia Szybinska with 20 kills, hitting .450 to lead the team
- Hanna Thompson and Morissen Samuels followed notching 15 and 13 kills respectively
- The defense was led by Abby Meister with 25 digs, while Keri Walker tallied 17
- Walker served up 42 gems for the Wolves in the forms of assists and was second on the team with four blocks
- All seven offensive players who entered the game recorded multiple blocks in the win led by Abby Brooks with five
- Reese Johnson and Sara Moberg added eight digs apiece and Johnson led the squad with two aces
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- NCAA Regional Rankings will be released Wednesday afternoon, however tonight’s win will not be included in the ranking information
NORTHERN STATE STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
Natalia Szybinska: 20 kills, .450 attack%, 2 digs, 2 blocks
Keri Walker: 42 assists, 17 digs, 4 blocks, 1 ace
Abby Mesiter: 25 digs, 2 assists, 1 ace
UP NEXT
Northern advances to the semifinal round and will face top-seeded St. Cloud State. First serve is set for 5 p.m. in St. Cloud on Saturday, November 23.