TEMPE, Ariz. – North Dakota State University dropped a pair of matches to Boise State 3-0 (25-15, 27-25, 25-23) and host Arizona State 3-0 (25-16, 28-26, 25-16) at the Sun Devil Classic played Friday, Aug. 25, before 838 spectators in Wells Fargo Arena.
 
NDSU (0-2) closes out Classic play against Weber State (0-1) at 4 p.m. CT on Saturday, Aug. 26. The Wildcats lost to Arizona State 3-0 on Friday.
 
Sierra Nobley had 16 kills and 14 kills as Boise State held off late North Dakota State rallies in both the second and third sets. The Broncos outhit NDSU .190 and had 10 team blocks compared to six for the Bison. Sabryn Roberts had 13 kills, seven digs and five blocks for BSU, while Janell Walley had 10 kills and 13 digs.
 
North Dakota State trailed 19-14 in the second set before coming back to take a 24-23 advantage. McKenzie Burke, Erika Gelzinyte and Allie Mauch all came up with important kills, while Brianna Rasmusson and Burke each had key blocks. However, Boise State rallied and scored four of the final five points to take the set 27-25.
 
NDSU erased a four-point deficit in the third set and led 22-19 late as the Bison took advantage of Mauch kill, along with a pair of Boise State hitting errors to take the lead. The Broncos came storming back to score six of the final seven points.
 
Burke had a career-high 10 kills for the Bison and reached double-figure kills for the first time in her career. Gelzinyte claimed nine kills, while Mauch added six. Rasmusson finished with 29 assists and eight digs.
 
Defensively, Mikaela Purnell collected a match-high 22 digs and picked up 20-plus digs for the 21st time in her career. Abbi Klos added 11 digs and reached double-figures for the first time in her career, while Burke added nine digs and three blocks.
 
Oluoma Okaro connected for 17 kills, hit .333 and had four blocks to lead host Arizona State (2-0) the three-set win in the final match of the day. The Sun Devils out hit NDSU .159 to .047 including .333 in the first set.
 
North Dakota State made things interesting in the second set. The score was tied 18 times in the second. The Bison took a 24-23 lead on a Mauch block but Arizona State kept a step ahead to close out the 28-26 win. NDSU had nine team blocks compared to eight for the Sun Devils. Mauch had four blocks and Bella Lien had three.
 
Gelzinyte recorded 10 kills and eight digs to pace NDSU, while Rasmusson filled out the stat line with 23 assists, five digs, four kills, three blocks and a pair of service aces. Burke had eight kills and 10 digs. Purnell finished with 13 digs and Klos had 11.