Box Score

FARGO, N.D. – When it needed it most, the IUPUI volleyball team put together lengthy runs in each set to defeat North Dakota State, 3-0 (25-20, 25-17-25-22), Saturday evening at Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse.

IUPUI (11-12) secured its fifth straight Summit League win with the victory over the Bison and improved to 5-2 in the conference, while NDSU fell to 2-18 and 2-5 in the league.

Moriah Fair led all players with 12 kills, while Kaitlyn Hickey also reached double figures in kills with 10. Alexis Meeks directed the offense to a .215 hitting percentage and dished out 34 assists, while serving up four of the Jags seven aces on the night.

"We won some of the long rallies and that made a difference for us tonight," head coach Steve Payne said. "We did a good job on our scramble plays and won our fair share of those which helped us get some momentum."

Early on, the IUPUI passing wasn't as sharp as it has been over the last five matches and the Bison took advantage by jumping out to a 9-5 lead. Trailing by three at the midway point, 16-13, the Jaguars were led on an eight-point spurt behind the serving of Beth Howard that reversed a deficit into a five-point lead, 21-16. During the spurt, the tandem of Logan Walling and Fair teamed up for two blocks to build momentum and keep the rally going. That five-point difference held up and the Jags took the opening set, 25-20.

The second set remained close until the Jaguars put together another lengthy rally to quiet the crowd and open a double-digit lead. Behind the serving of Meeks, IUPUI put together a nine-point rally that opened a 17-8 Jags cushion. In front 20-10, NDSU made a five-point surge thanks to three IUPUI errors, but a pair of Hickey kills broke the run and re-established a 22-15 Jags advantage. From that point, kills from Hickey, Meredith Farkas and Walling finished off a 25-17 set-two triumph.

Out of the 10-minute break between sets two and three, North Dakota State switched up its lineup and it made an impact as it took a three-point lead late in the set at 19-16. A kill from Walling and a block from Walling and Kelly Wachtel started a seven-point rally that ultimately catapulted IUPUI on top, 23-19. After going in front, 24-20, the Bison spoiled two match points, but a NDSU attack error sent the Jaguars to a 25-22 third-set win.

IUPUI returns home next weekend when it begins the second half of league action against the top two teams in the league in South Dakota and Denver. The Jags and Coyotes start things off when they square off on Friday, Oct. 25, at 7 p.m., before IUPUI and Denver meet on Saturday, Oct. 26, at 5 p.m.