MACOMB, Ill. – Syra Tanchin connected on a career-high 24 kills to guide North Dakota State past Western Illinois, 3-2, on Thursday night at Western Hall.
With the win, NDSU improves to 7-9 (1-3 Summit), while Western Illinois drops to 1-13 (0-3 Summit) on the season.
Tanchin logged her second career 20-kill performance with a career-best 24 to go along with a .309 hitting percentage. Ali Hinze contributed her team-best eighth double-double of the season with 19 kills and season-high 20 digs. Kelley Johnson also added in a double-double with a season-high 44 assists and 13 digs. Kaylee Hanger rounded out the top performers with a team-high 21 digs with two aces.
As a team, NDSU registered season-highs in digs (89), kills (70) and assists (65).
Both teams traded points in the opening set until the Bison assembled four unanswered points to pull back within two, 23-21. However, the Leathernecks went on to close the frame on a 2-1 run to hold off the Bison, 25-22. Tanchin led all players in the set with five kills and notched a .308 hitting percentage.
NDSU fought back in the second stanza that featured 10 tie scores. The Bison were able to get some momentum rolling after a 5-0 run to grab a 14-11 edge following a kill from Tanchin. NDSU didn’t trail the rest of the way and went on to take the set, 25-20
NDSU carried energy into the third frame sprinting out to a 9-4 lead to force a Western Illinois timeout. The Bison increased their lead up to 20-16 following a service error and kill from Hinze. NDSU then closed the set with five straight points to take the frame, 25-17.
Both teams traded points in the fourth set until NDSU snatched a 12-11 edge after five unanswered points to force a Western Illinois timeout. The Leathernecks then battled back opening up a 22-15 advantage. Western Illinois closed out the set, 25-19, and locked the match, 2-2.
After Western Illinois stole a late 13-11 edge in the fifth set, Allison Scheiwiller came off the bench and delivered back-to-back clutch kills to tie the contest, 13-13. Following a Leatherneck point, the Bison closed the match with three straight points to take the frame, 16-14, and the match, 3-2.
NDSU returns to action at St. Thomas (1-11, 0-2 Summit) on Saturday night at 3:00 p.m.
*Courtesy Myles Johnson, NDSU Athletics
