The University of Minnesota Duluth opened up the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference on Friday afternoon, squaring off against Augustana (S.D.) University in the first round. UMD was the home team, being seeded No. 2 in the tournament, while Augustana (S.D.) came into the tournament being in the No. 7 spot. The Bulldogs would take down the Vikings in four sets, 3-1 (25-20, 13-25, 26-24, 25-14) and improve to 24-5 on the year, moving on to the semi-finals, while Augustana gets knocked out of the NSIC tournament, and finishes with a 20-10 record.
 
UMD would edge out Augustana in hitting percentage at .185 for the day, while the Vikings swung at a .181 clip. Augustana would finish with 10 blocks, while the Bulldog put up six.
 
The Bulldogs would open the scoring in the first set with a kill from senior right side hitter Hanna Meyer, followed by a solo block from sophomore middle blocker Summer Ballard. The two squads would battle hard, with UMD keeping its foot on the gas and bringing the score to 8-2 before Augustana would call a timeout. The Vikings were able to score two straight before senior middle blocker Abby Thor would drop one to un bring the score to 9-4. The two teams would battle hard until the Bulldogs would use one of their timeouts at 17-13. Augustana would score two out of the break, but UMD would counter with two of its own. The Vikings would chip back into the game and bring the score to 20-18 in favor of the Bulldogs before the Bulldogs would use their second timeout. UMD would eventually grab a three-point lead at 23-20 before Augustana would take their second timeout. UMD would grab the first set after snagging the last two points, 25-20.
 
After switching sides, the Bulldogs looked to keep the pressure on the Vikings, but Augustana would start the scoring in the second, dropping in two quick points before a service error would give UMD its first point. The Vikings were able to grab a five-point lead at 7-2 before UMD would use its first timeout of the set. Augustana would gain three points in their lead before the Bulldogs were able to strike and bring the score to 4-11. The Vikings would grab three more points and take a 14-4 lead before UMD would use their second timeout of the set. Augustana would score three more before the Bulldogs were able to score two and bring the score to 6-17.
UMD would rally off three straight and chip away at the Vikings lead, forcing Augustana to take a timeout at 18-9. The Bulldogs were able to score two out of the timeout and cut the lead down to seven. The squads would go back and forth, with Augustana able to rattle off five straight and close the set, 25-13.
 
Augustana would open the third with three straight before a service error allowed the Bulldogs to get on the board. The Vikings would score two more before junior middle blocker Lexy Langenfeld and sophomore outside hitter Meredith Sutton would come up with a block. Augustana again would again find points and bring the score to 7-3 before UMD was able to score again. The sides went back and forth to try and gain the one set lead on one another, with Augustana keeping the lead while to teams battled back and forth until the media timeout, with the Vikings being the first team to record 15 points at 15-10. The teams would score two a piece out of the timeout, with the Vikings scoring a third before UMD would use its first timeout of the set. The Bulldogs would score the first point out of the timeout, with Augustana countering with one of their own. The teams would trade points until the Bulldogs were able to rattle of three straight and cut the lead to three at 18-21. The Vikings would use their first timeout. UMD would drop two straight and trail by one before the Vikings would use their second timeout. The Bulldogs would drop three straight to take the lead, 24-23 before taking their second timeout of the set. The Vikings would force extra points in the set, with UMD taking the first at 25-24, and scoring the last point off a swing from Thor, 26-24.
 
The Vikings would open scoring in the fourth set, scoring two quick points before Meyer was able to get UMD on the board. Augustana was able to score three more before the Bulldogs would call their first timeout. UMD would score first off the timeout, scoring two straight to cut the lead to two. The Bulldogs would score two more and pull to within one at 5-6. UMD would tie things at seven a side off a strike to the floor from junior outside hitter Kate Berg, before the Vikings would call their first timeout. UMD would grab a two-point lead before Augustana was able to strike again. Langenfeld would come up with a solo block and keep the Bulldogs up at 12-9. After giving up three points, UMD was able to snag a three-point lead at 15-12 before the Vikings would call their second timeout. UMD would go on a 10-2 rally to close out the match, three sets to one.
 
Redshirt freshman Madison Gordon would finish with two aces, one kill and twelve digs on the day. Sutton would finish with a match high 17 kills, gaining two blocks and five digs. Langenfeld would finish with a kill and three blocks, grabbing a dig along the way. Junior Kate Berg would total 13 kills, snagging two assists and 13 digs as well. Senior defensive specialist Keena Seiffert would dig 24 on the day, with six assists and two aces. Senior setter Emily Balts would dish 48 assists, with one ace and 15 digs. Meyer would finish with 13 kills, hitting .393 with two blocks and seven digs. Thor would finish with nine kills, two blocks and three digs.
 
Bulldogs will player the winner of Winona State and Concordia-St. Paul tomorrow in the NSIC Semi-final at 4:30 PM at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D.