Mastodons End Nation's Longest Conference Win Streak

Friday, October 1

Fargo, N.D.

8:00 PM

Purdue Fort Wayne

8-8, 4-2Summit

North Dakota State

8-7, 5-1Summit

IPFW

North Dakota State

Stephanie Lamberti had a career-high 19 kills against North Dakota State

Mastodons End Nation's Longest Conference Win Streak

10/1/2010 10:01:18 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

BOX SCORE

Fargo, ND - The IPFW Mastodons snapped the longest conference win streak in the country with a come-from-behind win over the North Dakota State Bison on Friday night, winning 3-2 (24-26, 16-25, 25-18, 25-16, 15-11).

Stephanie Lamberti led the comeback for IPFW (8-8, 4-2 Summit) with a team-best 19 kills and 15 digs for a double-double, as Maya Schlindwein and Alli Hook had 11 and 10 kills, each. Maya Schlindwein had a career-best 23 digs, with Megan Steenhuysen also setting a personal best with 21 digs, in addition to her 43 assists for her eighth double-double of the year.

Lamberti added 15 digs with a match-high three aces, as Tessa McGill and Jen Milligan had 14 digs each. Taryn Parker and Jessie Manwaring each had three blocks to pace the team.

North Dakota State (8-7, 5-1 Summit League) previously had won 42 consecutive Summit League matches, which was the longest active streak in Division I. The last league loss for the Bison came on November 2, 2007 with a 3-2 loss to Western Illinois. Hawai'i, now with 27 consecutive conference wins, now has the longest conference winning streak in the country.

IPFW jumped out quickly, leading 5-2 early in the opening set, and never giving up that lead until late in the set. The Mastodons served for set point at 24-22; however, the hosts fought back, scoring the final four points of the set to take the opener 26-24.

The Bison capitalized on the momentum gained from the end of the first set to jump ahead 8-5 in the second frame, and never relinquishing the lead the rest of the way in a 25-16 NDSU victory.

After the intermission between sets two and three, North Dakota State looked as if they would cruise to adding to the nation's longest conference win streak, leading 16-11. After a timeout by IPFW head coach Kelley Hartley Hutton, the Mastodons broke out of their struggles, and out-scored NDSU 14-2 over the remainder of the set to take the third frame 25-18.

NDSU jumped out early in the fourth set, but a 6-1 IPFW run gave the visitors a 9-6 lead that they would not relinquish for the remainder of the set. The Bison closed to within one on numerous occasions over the course of the set, but another 6-1 IPFW run pushed the visitors ahead, and sent them to a 25-16 fourth-set win.

With the match now tied at two sets apiece, the Bison started ahead with a 3-1 streak to open the final set, before five straight IPFW points gave the visitors a 6-3 lead. In a set of runs, NDSU ran off one of their own by scoring four of the next five points to take a 9-7 lead, forcing IPFW into a timeout. Following the 75-second break, the 'Dons rebounded in a big way by scoring the next five points to lead 12-9.

North Dakota State was able to score two more points the rest of the way, with the 'Dons adding three to take the set and snapping the streak.

Megan Lambertson led the Bison with 14 kills, as two-time Summit League Player of the Year Chrissy Knuth added a dozen. Lauren McLaughlin had a match-high 27 digs, with Jordan Kissman dishing out 43 assists.

The Mastodons return to action on Saturday afternoon, after traveling south to Brookings, South Dakota, to take on the Jackrabbits of South Dakota State University, with first serve set for 8:00 PM.

~Dons~