NORTHERN COMES UP JUST SHORT AT DULUTH

Sept. 21, 2001

Northern State battled but came up just short on the toughest conference road match of the season Friday, losing 3-2 (30-17, 28-30, 19-30, 30-20, 15-10) in a marathon match to perennial power Minnesota-Duluth. The loss snapped a six-match winning streak for the Wolves and gave UMD coach Pati Rolf her 300th career victory.

The Wolves (7-6, 1-1 NSIC) used their momentum from a tight second game win to dominate the Bulldogs 30-19 in the third game. But UMD wasn't about to go down easily and let the Wolves get the best of them at home for the second straight season. Last year, NSU's first-ever win over Duluth knocked the team out of regional playoff contention.

Junior Stephanie Tschetter (Huron, S.D.) led NSU with 17 kills on a .359 hitting percentage. The ever-versatile third-year starter also led NSU defensively with 15 digs. Sophomore setter Tara Sauter (Belle Plaine, Minn.) nearly recorded a triple-double, putting up 33 assists, 10 kills and seven digs. Junior outside hitter Kim Heny (Powell, Wyo.) recorded 10 kills and 14 digs. Junior middle blocker Christi Lucas (White, S.D.) didn't have a great hitting night by percentage at the net (13 kills, nine attack errors, 50 attacks, .080 attack percent), but made up for it defensively with 10 blocks.

UMD (5-3, 3-0 NSIC) was led by Becky Hoffman's 26 kills on a .422 hitting percentage.