Men’s volleyball club downs Fighting Sioux
When the Bison defeated the Sioux in a volleyball match Monday, it wasn’t the typical match NDSU fans have been longing for since the schools stopped competing against each other after NDSU bolted to Division I.
It was far from the classic women’s North Central Conference volleyball matches of the past, but on Monday the NDSU men’s club volleyball team hosted a ‘renewing the rivalry’ scrimmage against UND at the Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse.
NDSU swept through the first three games, but both teams agreed to continue scrimmaging to give the newer players more playing time and experience.
“ I think we played really well for our first game,” junior Jesse Johnson, a first year player for NDSU said. “Our team really showed that we can hit the ball, but we need to work on our communication.”
It is no surprise NDSU controlled the scrimmage. In addition to having recent success at the national tournament, NDSU generally competes very well in the Northern Intercollegiate Volleyball Conference.
The NIVC is made up of 15 teams from North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Canada.
The NDSU club consists of about 20 players – 10 of whom travel and compete.
Each year the club starts out with open practices that teach new players technique, and refining veteran players’ skills. The club practices every Monday and Wednesday for a few hours and compete in two to three tournaments per month throughout the season.
While the NDSU club is loaded with players, UND has struggled to have enough players to compete recently. They didn’t have a team last season due to lack of interest.
“One of their guys started the team up again this year, so there are a lot of new guys,” NDSU captain Joseph Lind said. “It’s nice to have someone close to Fargo to play.”
UND will have another shot at NDSU Nov. 7 in Grand Forks.
Lind is very optimistic about the season and believes that the club is thriving.
“ We should do well this year. We have a lot of players returning as well as new guys coming in with a good volleyball background,” Lind said.
The team began in 1992 as a way for men’s volleyball enthusiasts to participate in competitive volleyball.
The squad is partly funded through student government as well as fundraisers that run throughout the year.
NDSU will host a conference tournament Dec. 2-3 at the Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse. Fifteen teams from around the country will be in attendance.