Box score
OXFORD, Miss.-- Host Ole Miss outlasted North Dakota 25-18, 21-25, 25-23, 25-15 in the final match of the Magnolia Invitational Saturday afternoon.
OXFORD, Miss.-- Host Ole Miss outlasted North Dakota 25-18, 21-25, 25-23, 25-15 in the final match of the Magnolia Invitational Saturday afternoon.
"We had really good offensive numbers from Ronni Munkeby and Lisa Parlich, but we have yet to put together a complete defensive performance," UND head coach Ashley Hardee said. "When we do that, we are going to be difficult to beat."
Munkeby, with 12 kills on 19 swings Saturday, was named to the Magnolia Invitational All-Tournament team. It is her second all-tourney selection this season after she earned accolades in the season-opening Texas A&M Invitational Aug. 24-25.
Ole Miss (6-3) led throughout the first set and grabbed an early advantage in the match with a 25-18 first-set victory. UND responded in the second set, however, to even the match.
It was a 6-3 start and later an 11-6 lead that forced the Rebels to burn a timeout to attempt to stop a momentum shift. It did not work as UND stretched its lead to seven and following another Ole Miss timeout, Lauren Clarke immediately recorded an ace to give the visitors their largest lead at 19-11. UND finished off the set, 25-21, squaring the match at one set apiece.
The third set saw the lead change hands multiple times in the early going until a 10-2 Rebel run put the home team in control. UND clawed back within a point on two separate occasions and finally re-tied the score at 23-all, but a pair of Ole Miss kills put the set away, 25-23.
In the fourth set, it was a 9-3 stretch for the home team that sparked a 12-7 lead. UND drew the score to 18-14, but Ole Miss scored seven of the final eight points in the match to finish the Invitational undefeated (3-0) and take the team title.
Sophomore Lexi Robinson turned in her fifth double-double of the young season with 13 kills and 13 digs. Parlich joined her with a team-high 13 kills while Munkeby chipped-in a dozen. Sophomore Felicia Ulrich contributed five of UND's nine service aces on the afternoon. Clarke added 24 digs for North Dakota.
Ole Miss (6-3) led throughout the first set and grabbed an early advantage in the match with a 25-18 first-set victory. UND responded in the second set, however, to even the match.
It was a 6-3 start and later an 11-6 lead that forced the Rebels to burn a timeout to attempt to stop a momentum shift. It did not work as UND stretched its lead to seven and following another Ole Miss timeout, Lauren Clarke immediately recorded an ace to give the visitors their largest lead at 19-11. UND finished off the set, 25-21, squaring the match at one set apiece.
The third set saw the lead change hands multiple times in the early going until a 10-2 Rebel run put the home team in control. UND clawed back within a point on two separate occasions and finally re-tied the score at 23-all, but a pair of Ole Miss kills put the set away, 25-23.
In the fourth set, it was a 9-3 stretch for the home team that sparked a 12-7 lead. UND drew the score to 18-14, but Ole Miss scored seven of the final eight points in the match to finish the Invitational undefeated (3-0) and take the team title.
Sophomore Lexi Robinson turned in her fifth double-double of the young season with 13 kills and 13 digs. Parlich joined her with a team-high 13 kills while Munkeby chipped-in a dozen. Sophomore Felicia Ulrich contributed five of UND's nine service aces on the afternoon. Clarke added 24 digs for North Dakota.
Kara Morgan led the Rebels (6-3) with a match-high 15 kills while Allegra Wells added 14.
North Dakota (4-6) now prepares for the opening of Big Sky Conference play. UND will host Montana State Thursday and Montana Saturday night at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center. Thursday's tilt with the Bobcats will be televised live on Midco Sports and a radio broadcast will be available in the Red River Valley area on 1440 KKXL-AM and 790 WDAY-AM.
