The North Dakota State volleyball team overcame a two-set deficit to defeat Kansas City 3-2 on Thursday night at Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse. The Bison (13-7, 5-5 Summit) secured the win by closing the final set on a 4-1 run to win 18-16.
Pfiffner and Jansen lead the Bison comeback
The victory was anchored by a performance from Sarah Pfiffner, who recorded a career-high 60 assists. This mark represents the most assists by a Bison player since 2013. Pfiffner also notched a career-best 16 digs, marking her ninth double-double of the season.
Lauren Jansen provided the offensive power, logging 22 kills—her fourth 20-kill game in the last five matches—and adding 13 digs. Zoe John contributed 21 kills with a .292 hitting percentage, while Rya Borer led the defensive effort with 20 digs and seven assists.
The battle for momentum in the third and fourth sets
NDSU began its climb back from the 0-2 hole during a volatile third frame characterized by 17 tie scores and six lead changes. After Kansas City (10-11, 4-5 Summit) held a 19-17 lead, Jansen scored two kills to tie the set at 20-20. The Bison eventually took the set 25-23 following three unanswered points, capped by a kill from Pfiffner.
Playing for something bigger tonight!🆚: Kansas City⏰: 7:00 PM CT📍: Fargo, ND🏟️: Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse💻: https://t.co/MxPRBOKvnJ📊: https://t.co/wKTVdhhgvR🎟️: https://t.co/rCHngrCocy pic.twitter.com/Pc0WGvNELL
The fourth set followed a similar pattern of exchanged points. Jansen delivered a clutch ace to give NDSU a 23-22 lead, but Kansas City responded with a 3-1 run to lead 25-24 after a kill by Emry Brown. NDSU regained control with a 4-1 run, winning the frame 28-26 on a Jansen kill.
A narrow escape in the fifth set
Kansas City appeared poised to win in the final set, jumping to an 8-4 lead via Emry Brown and extending that advantage to 14-11 through a kill by Ryanne Wattree.
The Bison responded with three consecutive points, including two aces from Maddy Dombeck, to tie the match at 14-14. Following a service error by the Roos, NDSU utilized a 4-1 closing run to seal the 18-16 set and the match victory.
| Player | Kills | Digs | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lauren Jansen | 22 | 13 | – |
| Zoe John | 21 | – | – |
| Sarah Pfiffner | – | 16 | 60 |
| Rya Borer | – | 20 | 7 |
NDSU continues its homestand on Saturday, hosting Oral Roberts at Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse with first serve scheduled for 11:00 a.m.
