2014 NCAA II Central Region Tournament

The top-seeded University of Minnesota Duluth appeared to get a tougher battle than it bargained for from Arkansas Tech University in the opening round of the NCAA II Volleyball Central Region Tournament on Thursday night, but like their three Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference rivals before them, the Bulldogs advanced, knocking off the Golden Suns in straight sets at Romano Gym.

UMD (32-1) stood tall in the first two sets, 25-17 and 25-13, but Arkansas Tech (29-6) proved why it entered the tournament with a 21-match winning streak, forcing the Bulldogs to the limit as they prevailed 25-23 in the final frame to extend their own winning streak to 26 matches.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Junior setter Ashley Hinsch collected 38 assists on the night, turning to her middle blockers and right-side hitter for much of the night as sophomore middle Sydnie Mauch led the way with 12 kills on 19 attacks with a .526 attack percentage. Junior middle Monica Turner and senior right-side Maddy Sirion had nine kills each.
• Every member of the Bulldogs had at least two digs on the night, with senior libero Julie Rainey leading the way with 14 and Hinsch adding 11 on the back-end of a double-double. The Bulldogs and Golden Suns each had seven blocks on the night, with Siroin leading all players with four.
 
"I wasn't particularly thrilled with the way we performed tonight. I felt like we were tentative defensively ... we didn't control the tempo very well, and we weren't very consistent," said head coach Jim Boos after the match. "We've been all of those things throughout the season, and it's certainly something we're going to need heading into tomorrow."

The Bulldogs stifled the attack from Tech throughout the match, allowing the Suns to hit just .108 in the match, but their own errors - 10 attacking, one service ace, and a receiving error - kept Arkansas Tech alive in the third set. UMD hit just .109 in the decisive frame, which saw 14 tie scores and lead changes, after just nine in the first two sets combined.

"I just know this group is going to rally around each other, and they're going to find a way to play at a higher level tomorrow," Boos concluded.

UP NEXT
UMD will take on No. 5 Wayne State (Neb.) College in the second round, meeting the Wildcats for the third time in the last four weeks at Romano Gym. No. 3 Concordia University, St. Paul and No. 4 Southwest Minnesota State University will get the action started with opening serve scheduled for 5:00 p.m. The Bulldogs and Wildcats will take the court at 7:30 p.m.