The University of Minnesota Duluth put a tough loss into the past with a three-set sweep of Minnesota State University Moorhead to conclude the Bulldogs' weekend Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference road trip.

No. 1 UMD (11-2, 4-1 NSIC) made the afternoon more difficult on themselves than necessary, committing 22 attack errors to go with seven service errors in the match, to give more life to MSU Moorhead (10-3, 3-2 NSIC). The Dragons made 13 errors in the first two games, collecting just 16 kills in the same time while the Bulldogs matched them in the first set alone and hit .088 for the match. The Bulldogs collected 51 kills but hit just .238 as a team.

The errors on both sides added up to a 25-18, 25-19, 25-22 victory for UMD.  The Bulldogs took a 15-8 lead in the first game and held on the rest of the way, then fell behind 5-0 in the second set before roaring back to tie the game at 14-all and eventually hold a 19-14 lead. Game three was back-and-forth to a 21-21 tie before UMD scored four of the final five to earn the sweep. Senior outside hitter Mariah Scharf led the way for the Bulldogs with a match-high 16 kills, just missing a double-double while adding nine digs in the match. Junior outside hitter Taylor Wissbroecker had 10 kills, two service aces, a pair of blocks, and seven digs in the match. Kaitlin VanWinkle led the Dragons with eight kills. UMD senior setter Ashley Hinsch had 42 assists in the match while Casie Baer had 24  and seven digs for MSUM. First-year libero Erin Schindler grabbed 16 digs for the Bulldogs while senior Amber Krenske had 14 for the Dragons.

OUTSIDE HITS
UMD runs its record to 68-12 all-time against MSU Moorhead ... senior middle blocker Monica Turner added one block and is now tied for fifth-place all-time at UMD with 334 in her career, just a pair behind fourth place ... with eight kills, Turner now sits at 983 for her career while Scharf's 16 bring her to 938 ... the Bulldogs will now return home for a three-match homestand -- the first time UMD has been home for multiple matches in a row all season.

UP NEXT
The Bulldogs host Minot State University and the University of Mary next weekend at Romano Gymnasium before kicking off the homecoming festivities on Tuesday, Oct. 6 against No. 8 Concordia University, St. Paul. UMD and U-Mary will open serve on the homestand Friday night at 7:00 p.m.