For the fourth consecutive year, the UMD volleyball team is off to an 8-0 start. The second-ranked Bulldogs handled the University of Indianapolis and Wayne State University (Mich.) by 3-1 scores Friday at the UW-Parkside Tournament in Kenosha, Wis., and then took down the University of Wisconsin-Parkside and Lewis University in straight sets Saturday.
Following a week during which she picked up NSIC and AVCA Player of the Week honors, UMD’s Kate Lange was the headliner once again. The senior outside hitter set a personal and school record with 33 kills against Indianapolis and racked up 83 on the weekend to go along with 32 digs and six blocks.
Indianapolis put UMD at its first set disadvantage of the season in match one after winning the opening frame 25-23. The Bulldogs went on to reel off the next three sets 26-24, 25-15 and 25-23 to upend the No. 19 Greyhounds.
It took another four sets for UMD to do away with Wayne State in the team’s second match of the evening. The Bulldogs won the first two sets and narrowly dropped the third, eventually taking the match with a decisive 25-14 edge in frame four. Lange ripped 27 kills against the Warriors, giving her 60 in two matches Friday.
UMD won all six sets in its two matches Saturday, first besting Wisconsin-Parkside (25-17, 25-12, 25-23) and then Lewis (25-14, 25-20, 25-10) to finish the tournament 4-0.
On the weekend, sophomore setter Ashley Hinsch had 171 assists (42.75 per game) and junior libero Julie Rainey had 59 digs (14.75 per game) to pace UMD in the respective categories. The Bulldogs will make their 2013 home debut Tuesday when they take on Michigan Tech at Romano Gym.
BY KYLE FARRIS farri060@d.umn.edu