FARGO, N.D. – Despite 10 kills from senior Lauren Bakker and nine more from junior Macky Fifita, the Utah Valley University volleyball team fell in straight sets to the host North Dakota State Bison at the NDSU Baymont Inn & Suites Invitational in Fargo on Saturday afternoon (23-25, 15-25, 20-25).
 
The Wolverines fall to 2-4 on the season and 1-1 on the weekend with the loss, while the Bison improve to 4-2 on the year and 1-1 at the tournament. Both teams will conclude play at the NDSU Classic later on Saturday, as UVU will wrap its weekend against Towson at 4 p.m. CT and NDSU will take on Milwaukee at 7 p.m. CT.
 
Trailing 20-16 in the first set, UVU got things going with a 4-0 run to tie the score at 21-all. The Wolverines later took a 23-22 advantage following a Fifita kill, but the Bison battled back by scoring the final three points to take the opening set by a score of 25-23.
 
NDSU then used a 12-0 spurt to put the second game away and scored eight of the final nine points in the third frame to take the match in consecutive sets.
 
North Dakota State's Jenni Fassbender led all players with a match-high 11 kills. She also added a double-double with 13 digs.
 
Sophomore Madison Dennison too played well for UVU in the contest as she hit .545 with seven kills.
 
Despite the suffering the loss, the Wolverines still lead the all-time series over NDSU, 5-3.  
 
Following Saturday's NDSU Classic finale against Towson, UVU will continue its season-opening 11-match road swing at the Washington State Cougar Challenge in Pullman, Washington next weekend (Sept. 11-12). There the Wolverines will face Morehead State, Ball State and Washington State.