Box Score
Box Score - PDF | HTML

GRAND FORKS, N. D. – Finding themselves in a 2-0 hole going into the third set, the Vikings dug deep, taking the next two and forcing a decisive fifth set. Portland State was up early in the fifth but could not hold on as North Dakota took the set and the match 18-16 in the fifth.

North Dakota (13-7 overall, 8-0 Big Sky Conference) took the first two sets by scores of 25-22 and 25-23 to go up two sets to none. Portland State (9-9, 6-2) battled back taking the third and fourth sets by scores of 27-25 and 25-23 forcing a fifth.

The Vikings took an early lead and were up by four at 9-5. North Dakota got into a rhythm and scored six straight points to go up 11-9. The fifth stayed close with the Vikings coming back to tie it at 12-12.

From that point on there were four ties and a pair of lead changes. The Vikings had three match points but were unable to capitalize on their advantage before UND took the match with an 18-16 win.

"All of the sets were grinds," seventh-year head coach Michael Seemann said following the match. "Even the scores weren't indicative of how close they were. We came out strong and confident in the fifth but got stuck in a rotation that hurt us. We had swings for the match but were a little tentative. It's something that we'll learn from. I was extremely proud of how competitive we were and how we battled back."

The match was close from start to finish with 15 ties and six lead changes in the first set alone. The match ended with 42 ties and 17 lead changes over the five sets.

Junior middle blocker Leigh-Ann Haataja had a monster day for the Vikings, recording her first career double-double with a season-high 13 kills and a career-high 11 blocks. It was the first time a Viking recorded double-digit blocks since Katie O'Brien made 11 against Northern Arizona in 2011.

"Leigh-Ann had a tall order on her hands today; UND has two of the better middles in the conference," Seemann added. "We asked a lot of her and she responded. We gave a lot of shots to both of our middles and they did a great job of transitioning into kills."

Junior middle blocker O'Brien tied her career high with 12 kills. PSU's middle blockers Haataja and O'Brien combined for 25 kills with each having 10-plus kills in the same match for the first time this season.

Senior outside hitters Aubrey Mitchell and Kaeli Patton each added 12 kills for the Vikings. It was the first time this season that the Vikings had four players with double-digit kills, and the first time since last season against Southern Utah (11/1/12) .

Senior setter Garyn Schlatter continued to have a stellar senior campaign recording 50 assists to go along with 11 digs, eight blocks, and six kills. It was her team-leading fifth double-double of the season and third in the last four matches.

Kasimira "Kasi" Clark recorded 30 digs which moved her career total to 1,135, tying her with Nicole Bateham (2008-11) for third on PSU's Division I (1996-present) career digs list and for 10th on the all-time list. 

The first set stayed within two points the entire way until UND finally went up by three to win it 25-22. North Dakota out-hit Portland State .152-to-.043 in the first set. The second set stayed just as close but the Vikings found themselves down 24-20. They broke three straight set points before UND finally took the second set 25-23 to go up two sets to none.

Portland State got down early in the third by a score of 7-2. The Vikings were down again by five points midway through at 17-12. They then went on a 7-2 run to tie the match at 19-19. The teams traded points to 25-25 before back-to-back kills from Schlatter and Patton won it for the Vikings 27-25 to keep the match alive.

The fourth set bounced back and forth for much of the frame. Each team kept it close before another kill from Schlatter and a UND error gave the Vikings the fourth set 25-23 sending the match to a decisive fifth set.

After going up early in the fifth, PSU could not hold its lead; UND tied the set at 9-9. Portland State had three match points but could not close it out before North Dakota did, winning 18-16.

The Vikings return home next week for their only two home matches in the month of October. They host Idaho State on Thursday, Oct. 17 before hosting Weber State on Saturday, Oct. 19. Both matches will be 7 p.m. starts at the Peter W. Stott Center.

NOTES: Leigh-Ann Haataja recorded her first career double-double with 13 kills and 11 blocks … Haataja is the first Viking to record double-digit blocks since Katie O'Brien recorded 11 against Northern Arizona in 2011 … Haataja had a career-high 20.5 points … Middle blockers Katie O'Brien and Leigh-Ann Haataja both recorded double-digit kill in the same match for the first time this season … Katie O'Brien matched her career high in kills with 11 … Garyn Schlatter recorded 50 assists, 11 digs, eight blocks, and four kills in the match … Schlatter picked up her team-leading fifth double-double … Kasimira "Kasi" Clark moved into 10th all-time on PSU's career digs list.