2014 NSIC/U.S. Bank Volleyball TournamentThe top-seeded University of Minnesota Duluth survived five sets against the University of Sioux Falls, 3-2 in a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference/U.S. Bank Tournament quarterfinal match on Tuesday at Romano Gym. All four top seeds advanced in the quarterfinals and will meet up this weekend in Duluth for the remainder of the NSIC playoffs.
No. 2 UMD (29-1) advances to take on No. 5 Southwest Minnesota State in the conference semifinals, a team that took the Bulldogs to the limit in five sets last Saturday night. On the other side of the bracket, No. 3 Concordia University, St. Paul and No. 7 Wayne State (Neb.) College each advance. In defeating Sioux Falls (17-14), UMD matched the best start in program history with 29 wins in 30 matches, first set in 2007.
HIGHLIGHTS• All-NSIC First Team outside hitter
Mariah Scharf knocked down a career-high 27 kills while hitting .581 with just two errors, and NSIC Player of the Year, junior setter
Ashley Hinsch had 68 assists to lead the Bulldog offense. Junior middle blocker
Monica Turner had 14 kills and three blocks, sophomore middle blocker
Sydnie Mauch had 12 kills and four blocks, and
Maddy Siroin had a double-double with 10 digs and 12 kills.
• NSIC Libero of the Year, senior
Julie Rainey hauled in 21 digs while the often-underappreciated senior outside hitter
Katie Ledwell added 19 to go with her nine kills, just missing a double-double on the night.
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After a dominating performance last Friday night against Sioux Falls, the Bulldogs looked primed to perform another three-set sweep picking up games one and two by scores of 25-18 and 25-11, but the Cougars proved resilient, coming back from a 19-11 deficit in the third set to up-end UMD in the frame 25-23. The fourth set would be a back-and-forth affair with eight tie scores before USF came back from down match-point to knock off the Bulldogs 29-27 thanks to a pair of attack errors. Surprisingly so, as UMD had just 14 on the match in 153 swings for a .405 hitting percentage, bottoming out in the third set at .244 after hitting .615 in the second with just a single error.
When the Bulldogs were on, they were on -- Scharf started off the match with 13 kills on 13 swings before her first error, and four Bulldogs had at least 12 kills with fewer than five errors. UMD took control in the final set, scoring the first six points and 11 of the first 13 before trading points to a 15-6 final score, the clincher coming on a kill by Hinsch, her second of the night.
Despite lacking the height that UMD possesses, Sioux Falls gave the Bulldogs trouble at the net with six blocks, four by sophomore middle blocker Jordan Calef. Senior outside hitter Kate Hart had 17 kills, and All-NSIC Second Team senior outside Emily Johnson had 16 to go with 10 kills for a double-double. Freshman setter Sydney Schaap had 26 assists for USF, while sophomore libero Abby Folk had 16 digs for the Cougars.
UP NEXTUMD will meet Southwest Minnesota State for the third time this season, picking up a pair of wins including a sweep at home on Sept. 19. Opening serve between the Bulldogs and Mustangs is set for 7:30 p.m., following the first NSIC Semifinal between Concordia and Wayne State at 5:00.
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