Bison Win Third Straight League Match Over Omaha, 3-0

FARGO, N.D. - Carissa Whalen tied a career-high with 12 kills and made four blocks to lead North Dakota State to a 25-12, 25-18, 25-21 win over Omaha in Summit League women's volleyball Saturday, Oct. 13, at the Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse.

It was the third straight Summit League victory for North Dakota State, which upped its record to 8-12 overall and 5-4 in the league.  Omaha dropped to 6-15 overall and 1-8 in the league with its fifth straight loss.

Whalen hit .455 with only two errors in 22 attacks and fellow middle hitter Megan Lambertson hit .600 with 10 kills and only one error in 15 attacks to lead the Bison offense.  NDSU setter Catherine Yager dished out 35 assists.

NDSU tied a season-high with nine service aces led by Lambertson's career high-tying four and Brynn Joki's three.  The Bison also scored on eight Omaha serving errors.

North Dakota State took command of the first set with a 13-1 run capped by back-to-back aces from Joki that gave the Bison a 14-4 lead.

Joki had six of her nine kills during the second set, including three of NDSU's six kills on an 8-1 spurt midway through the second set that put the Bison ahead for good.

Omaha hung around in the third set and was within 19-17 before NDSU got a kill from Lambertson and back-to-back blocks by Whalen and Yager to go up 22-17 and prompt Omaha to take its final timeout.

Kelly Wollak had a team-high six kills for the Mavericks, whose .076 team hitting percentage was a season-low for NDSU opponents.  Omaha libero Amy Roberts made a match-high 13 digs.

North Dakota State closes out its five-match homestand against Drake at 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 15.  The Bulldogs are 3-16 and 2-7 in the Missouri Valley Conference after a 3-0 loss at Illinois State on Saturday.