North Dakota State Snaps Three-Match Losing Streak at Oakland, 3-1

ROCHESTER, Mich. - Megan Lambertson hit .519 with 16 kills to lead North Dakota State to a 25-20, 25-19, 21-25, 25-18 win over Oakland in Summit League women's volleyball Friday, Sept. 28, at the Athletics Center O'rena.

Brynn Joki had 18 kills and Carissa Whalen hit .474 with 10 kills for North Dakota State, which snapped a three-match losing streak and improved to 5-10 overall and 2-3 in The Summit League.

Setter Catherine Yager had a season-high 51 assists for NDSU as the Bison outhit Oakland by a .229 to .179 margin.  Joki made 20 digs and libero Andrea Henning made 19 to lead five NDSU players in double figures.

Meghan Bray had 18 kills and 13 digs for Oakland, and libero Alli Kirk made 22 digs for the Golden Grizzlies, who dropped to 9-7 overall and 2-3 in The Summit League.

The first set was tied 13-13 before Lambertson put NDSU ahead for good with a kill and a service ace.  Kills from Lauren Cammack, Danielle Dombeck and Yager expanded the Bison lead to 18-14 and Oakland was no closer than three the rest of the way.

NDSU trailed 12-10 in the second set before going on a 7-1 run.  OU pulled within 19-17 before the Bison got five straight points on a service error and kills from four different players.

North Dakota State nearly came back from six points down in the third set for the sweep.  Lambertson, who was 6-for-6 on attacks in the third set, had three kills on a 4-0 run to get NDSU within 20-18.  It was 23-21 before OU won on kills from Taylor Humm and Bray.

Lambertson had three kills and two blocks as NDSU opened the fourth set on a 10-2 run.  The Bison took advantage of nine OU hitting errors in the fourth set including three on a late 6-1 run that pushed NDSU's lead back to eight.

North Dakota State is scheduled to play Fort Wayne at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 29.  The Mastodons are 14-3 overall and 4-1 in the league after a three-set home win over South Dakota State on Friday.