LOGAN, Utah – For the first time since 2017, Utah State volleyball secured a season-opening victory, as the Aggies defeated North Dakota, 3-1, in the first match of the Northern Utah Invitational Friday morning.
USU opened the match with a 25-19 win, before the Fighting Hawks bounced back to claim the second set, 25-23. The Aggies responded well with a 25-20 victory in the fourth, while posting a dominant 25-9 win to clinch the match.
The 25-9 victory marked the biggest differential in a win for the Aggies since Sept. 6, 2014, when the team posted the same score in the fourth set of a five-set victory at UC Irvine.
Utah State had five players record double-digit kills in the win, led by junior middle blocker Kylee Stokes with 13. Junior middle blocker Kennedi Boyd also had a strong debut in her Aggie career, as she hit .529 (10-1-17) in the match. Three USU players finished the day with double-doubles. Senior outside hitter Kristy Frank recorded 11 kills and 11 digs, while sophomore outside Tatum Stall had 10 kills and 11 digs. Junior setter Kalena Vaivai had a team-high 25 assists to go with 15 digs, matching her career high. Senior middle Corinne Larsen led the Aggies with seven blocks.
Along with Boyd and Stokes, freshman setter Beatriz Rodrigues and freshman middle Katie Langford each made their USU debuts Friday. Redshirt sophomore outside hitter Hailey Cuff saw her first action since the 2019 season, as she missed the 2020 spring campaign with an injury.
The Aggies were a bit back-and-forth on their serves Friday, as they finished the match with 12 service errors, but made up the ground with eight aces. Stall led the team with a career-best four aces, while Rodrigues added two.
Overall, Utah State hit .214 (61-27-159) in the match, while North Dakota hit .015 (28-26-131).
Action from the Northern Utah Invitational continues on Saturday, Aug. 28. The Aggies will take on Seton Hall at 11 a.m., followed by a 7 p.m. match against Weber State.
Fans can follow the Aggie volleyball program on Twitter, @USUVolleyball, on Facebook at /USUVolleyball or on Instagram, @usuvolleyball. Aggie fans can also follow the Utah State athletic program on Twitter, @USUAthletics, Facebook at /USUAthletics and on Instagram, @USUAthletics.
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