Box score
OXFORD, Miss.-- Rice defeated North Dakota, 3-1 (25-22, 22-25, 25-21, 25-20) in the opening match of the Magnolia Invitational hosted by Ole Miss Friday morning.
"We had a nice offensive day, but we lacked the control when the plays went a little crazy," said UND head coach Ashley Hardee. "Our effort and energy levels are great, we just need the experience."
That UND offense generated 50 kills as North Dakota (3-5) hit .252 for the match, but Rice (4-5) countered with 60 total kills and hit .469 in the final set alone to finish the win. The North Dakota attack was primarily spread among four players who all recorded nine or more kills, led by sophomore Lexi Robinson's team-high 18.
UND led 7-4 in the first set before a 9-2 spurt by the Owls put them in control. Blocks on consecutive points by Robinson and Lisa Parlich inched North Dakota back to within one at 19-18 but Rice escaped with a 25-22 win in set one.
Rice led for most of the second set until Felicia Ulrich killed three balls in the final seven UND points, part of her 10 kills on the morning. Her stretch helped North Dakota back from an 18-15 deficit to snatch a 25-22 victory, pulling the match even at one set apiece.
Back-to-back service aces put Rice in front in the third set and it never looked back to grab the 2-1 advantage in the match. Trailing 16-8 in the fourth set, UND chipped away at the lead, whittling the lead down to four on one of Ronni Munkeby's nine kills but Rice hung on for the 25-20 win in the set to take the match.
Parlich added 10 kills for North Dakota, who suffered its first three-match losing skid since Hardee's first season at UND. That campaign ended with a 22-6 overall mark and the first of three Great West Conference tournament titles.
UND continues the Magnolia Invitational Friday with a 4 p.m. match against Alabama A&M.
OXFORD, Miss.-- Rice defeated North Dakota, 3-1 (25-22, 22-25, 25-21, 25-20) in the opening match of the Magnolia Invitational hosted by Ole Miss Friday morning.
"We had a nice offensive day, but we lacked the control when the plays went a little crazy," said UND head coach Ashley Hardee. "Our effort and energy levels are great, we just need the experience."
That UND offense generated 50 kills as North Dakota (3-5) hit .252 for the match, but Rice (4-5) countered with 60 total kills and hit .469 in the final set alone to finish the win. The North Dakota attack was primarily spread among four players who all recorded nine or more kills, led by sophomore Lexi Robinson's team-high 18.
UND led 7-4 in the first set before a 9-2 spurt by the Owls put them in control. Blocks on consecutive points by Robinson and Lisa Parlich inched North Dakota back to within one at 19-18 but Rice escaped with a 25-22 win in set one.
Rice led for most of the second set until Felicia Ulrich killed three balls in the final seven UND points, part of her 10 kills on the morning. Her stretch helped North Dakota back from an 18-15 deficit to snatch a 25-22 victory, pulling the match even at one set apiece.
Back-to-back service aces put Rice in front in the third set and it never looked back to grab the 2-1 advantage in the match. Trailing 16-8 in the fourth set, UND chipped away at the lead, whittling the lead down to four on one of Ronni Munkeby's nine kills but Rice hung on for the 25-20 win in the set to take the match.
Parlich added 10 kills for North Dakota, who suffered its first three-match losing skid since Hardee's first season at UND. That campaign ended with a 22-6 overall mark and the first of three Great West Conference tournament titles.
UND continues the Magnolia Invitational Friday with a 4 p.m. match against Alabama A&M.
