FARGO, N.D. – The Fighting Leatherneck volleyball team dropped a 3-1 decision Sunday afternoon (Oct. 5) to North Dakota State. The result moves Western Illinois to 3-14 (1-3), while the Bison improve to 7-11 (2-3).
 
Western Illinois used the momentum from Friday's 3-0 sweep over Fort Wayne to claim the first set over the Bison. Kayla Ruff got an early 5-0 run started with a service ace, one of four aces for Ruff in the match. Ann Miller's kill ended the run, which put the Purple and Gold ahead by a 7-5 score. North Dakota State would keep things close, and took the lead at 18-16 after a 5-0 Bison spurt.
 
The two teams would remain close down the stretch; with Western grabbing a 23-20 lead after a Samantha Fournier kill. Fournier then gave the Leathernecks set point with another kill to make it 24-21, and a Bison hitting error would cap off the 25-21 set victory for Western Illinois.
 
"We had a great first set against North Dakota State. We were focused, executed our game plan, and forced errors," said head coach April Hall. "We had some great hustle plays that pushed us to get the first set win. Our opponent stepped it up in the sets that followed and we did not recover. I'm confident that we will have a focused week of practice to prepare for our upcoming weekend."
 
However, the Leathernecks could not sustain the momentum, as North Dakota State claimed the next three sets en route to the match victory. The Bison opened the second set with a big run, as they built a 13-2 advantage. Western Illinois fought hard but ultimately could not climb back into the match, falling 25-15. The third set had a similar feel, as North Dakota jumped out of the gate leading 6-0. Western would remain close until the Bison used a 13-1 run to pull away for a 25-11 victory. North Dakota State would cap off the match with a 25-16 victory in the final set.
 
Ann Miller (15 kills/10 digs) and Samantha Fournier (31 assists/10 digs) each recorded double-doubles. Mallory Gibson and Peyton Crosser added 7 kills each and Molly Murphy contributed 16 digs for the Purple and Gold.
 
Western Illinois heads back north next weekend, as the Leathernecks head to Vermillion to face South Dakota. First serve between the Western and the Coyotes is set for 7 p.m. (CT).