For the third time in program history, the No. 4 University of Minnesota Duluth will play for the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Tournament Championship. The top seeded Bulldogs defeated the fifth seeded University of Sioux Falls in straight sets (25-17, 25-20, 25-20) Friday night for a date tomorrow with No. 7 Southwest Minnesota State University.

Tomorrow's winner receives the tournament crown and the conference's automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. 

Lifetime in the conference tournament, UMD is now 7-1 at home, 3-3 in the semifinals and 11-4 overall. The Bulldogs, who are 11-1 against the Cougars including 3-0 in postseason play, will have a chance tomorrow to secure their third championship and first since 2014. UMD, which raised  postseason titles back in 2013 and 2014, is undefeated in the championship round.

Sophomore outside hitter Kate Berg smashed a match high 10 kills to lead the Bulldogs to the victory. Senior outside hitter Makenzie Morgen and junior middle blocker Abby Thor each collected eight kills and Thor tallied a match high five blocks in the match. Thor, the All-NSIC second team selection, also mounted a match-high .500 hitting percentage on 16 errorless swings. Junior libero Keena Seiffert piled up 19 digs to lead all players.

Sioux Falls had Lexi Scott, Bria Barfnecht and Abby Feyereisen each total nine kills. Feyereisen hit .438 for the Cougars. Kasandra Springer scooped up 14 digs to lead Sioux Falls. 

The Cougars (20-10) stayed close and kept each set competitive until the end. The match featured 14 lead changes and 26 tied scores through the three sets. The Bulldogs were able to pull away in all three sets when it mattered. Thor had five early kills in the first to set the tone but it was Berg who rifled off two kills in three points to give UMD the cushion in the opening frame. The next set junior outside hitter Hanna Meyer corralled a pair of kills in three points to swing a 15-14 deficit to a 18-15 lead, which the Bulldogs never looked back. Finally, Sioux Falls, who hit .333 in the last set, tried to rally back to steal the third but Berg hammered down her 10th kill out of a time out and, two points later, Morgen sealed the victory firing her kill attempt past the block.

UMD hit a even .300 against the Cougars, who finished with a .154 attack clip. The Bulldogs held the advantage in kills (42-36), digs (40-37), aces (5-3), and block (9-7).

The Bulldogs battle the Mustangs tomorrow in the NSIC tournament championship match tomorrow at Romano Gymnasium. First serve is scheduled for 5:00 p.m.


 Postgame:


Highlights: