NDSCS Volleyball Opens Season With Sweep of Bottineau

NDSCS Volleyball moved to 2-0 on the season following a pair of back-to-back sweeps of Dakota College at Bottineau to open the COVID-adjusted 2020 season.

The hot start saw the Wildcats receive impressive contributions from new faces.

Sophomore transfer Kortney Carney settled in nicely at setter, replacing All-Region standout Lexi Hansch who finished her career with 1,982 assists, which ranks top-10 in program history. Carney’s 76 assists in just six total sets of action – an average of 12.67 assists per set – leads the nation in the early stages of the season.

Hansch – along with former All-American Gabby Hahn – are student assistants on this year’s roster as they finish their final academic year at NDSCS. Hahn is second all-time on the NDSCS kill list.

On the receiving end of those Carney assists have been a variety of players. Freshman Bailee Brommenschenkel totaled 25 kills on just 39 attacks. Sophomore Ally Gruber added 20 kills in two matches and also leads the team with eight blocks. Sophomores Miah Gessell and Kaitlyn Emmil added 11 and 10 kills respectively.

Brommenschenkel’s .538 hitting percentage leads the nation, while the 6-foot Ada, MN native is ninth nationally with 4.17 kills per set.

Walking floor burn Katie Krieger returns after leading NDSCS with 668 digs as a freshman. That was the 18th-highest total nationally. Through two matches she’s at 30 total digs.

Jane Passa’s 22nd season at NDSCS has the program on the hunt for its fifth Region XIII championship in the last seven years. She’s joined on the sidelines by first-year assistant Betsy Asp.

The Wildcats will look to extend its winning streak to three games on Saturday when they host No. 6 Bismarck. NDSCS has won 67 of its last 73 home matches at Ed Werre Arena.