2 days Ago By Staff reports
By the narrowest of margins, Minnesota Duluth will go into the final weekend of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference volleyball season with a shot at postseason play, after edging out Minnesota State Mankato 3-2 (22-25, 25-21, 12-25, 25-23, 15-13) on Saturday in Mankato. After losing set three decisively to fall behind 2-1, UMD was leading by a point, 24-23 in the fourth, when coach Jim Boos challenged a hit out of bounds by the Bulldogs' Cianna Selbitschka. The video review confirmed a Mavericks touch and decided the set in UMD's favor.
ADVERTISEMENT In the fifth, UMD broke a 7-7 tie with four straight points, denying three different chances for the Mavericks to tie it down the stretch. Selbitschka finished with 19 kills and Samantha Paulsen 16 for UMD, which is now 4-2 in five-set matches this season. Maddi Kealy dished out 31 assists, while Ava Jones had 25.
Defensively, five Bulldogs had double-digit digs led by 26 from Kaylyn Madison. UMD (15-10, 8-9 NSIC) enters the final weekend of the NSIC regular season a half-game behind a three-way tie for seventh in the NSIC standings and will probably need a win on Saturday vs. Winona State and losses from at least two of Minnesota State Mankato, Sioux Falls and Augustana (who all play twice) to reach the top eight in the conference standings.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL UMD finishes strong for first win Minnesota Duluth turned the tables in the fourth quarter, scoring 37 points to go from 12 points down to a 84-78 win over Northwestern Oklahoma on Saturday in Alva, Oklahoma. The Bulldogs were 10-for-14 from the field, including five 3-pointers, and 12-of-13 from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter. After giving up the first basket, UMD went on a 17-5 run, tying the game on a Myra Moorjani jumper with 3:47 to play.
Another run, this time 10-2 in UMD's favor, allowed them to close out the game from the free-throw line. Moorjani scored 29 points to lead UMD, while Claire Bjorge and Lexi Karlen both scored 14. ADVERTISEMENT The Bulldogs (1-1) are off until their first home game of the season, on Monday, Nov.
18 vs. Wisconsin-Parkside. MEN'S BASKETBALL Bulldogs get it done with defense After dominating on the scoreboard on Friday night, Minnesota Duluth men's basketball flashed its defense on Saturday, shutting down Oklahoma Baptist for a 71-52 win at Romano Gym on day two of the American Family Insurance Classic.
The Bulldogs jumped out to an 18-4 lead and stayed in front, going to the locker room with a 32-23 advantage. Six points was the closest the Bison could get in the second period as UMD held them to less than 30 points in both halves. Austin Andrews led all players with 19 points, while Charlie Katona had 16 points and seven rebounds.
Terry Coner Jr. was the only Bison in double figures with 12 points, and his came on 3-of-16 shooting from the field. UMD (2-0) returns to the floor on Sunday, Nov.
17 vs. Wisconsin-Parkside. CROSS COUNTRY Seidel earns All-Region honors UMD's Franny Seidel easily earned All-Central Region recognition with a 12th-place finish at the regional meet on Saturday in Joplin, Missouri.
ADVERTISEMENT She ran 21 minutes, 29.35 seconds for 6 kilometers and will await news of whether she can compete at the NCAA Division II nationals on Nov. 23 in Sacramento, California.
Teammate Maddie Verkerke was the second Bulldog across the line in 58th. In the men's race, a 10-kilometer course, Jack Van Kempen was one spot off All-Region in 26th place in 31:25.87, a one-spot improvement from where he finished in 2023.
Owen Dickenson (Solon Springs) was 44th in 31:47.08 and UMD's Alex Heidorn also ended up in the top 100 in 68th. The NCAA will announce at-large bids for teams and individuals at a later date.
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