BISMARCK, N.D. - Returning to Bismarck after an up and down trip to Missouri, the University of Mary Volleyball team took on Dickinson State University for the Marauder's home opener of the 2015 season.
 
With a well balanced attack, the Marauders (2-3) cruised to a three set win over the visiting Blue Hawks (1-8) as U-Mary prepares for their second non-conference road trip of the year.
 
The first set started off like any other with both teams looking to press any advantage they could find, and the Blue Hawks had a lead in the early goings at 3-2. The Marauders opened up the scoring with a six--point run highlighted by four kills, a team block, and a Dickinson State error to swing the score back into U-Mary's favor at 8-3.
 
Dickinson State responded in kind with three of the next four points, but the Marauders bookended that offensive with a five-point run capped off by two kills, a Marauder ace, and two Blue Hawk errors to give U-Mary a 14-6 lead at the midway point.
 
The Blue Hawks started to narrow the gap after some back and forth with the Marauders, yet U-Mary still held a 17-11 lead before an eight-point run closed out the first set thanks to two Dickinson State errors, a Marauder ace, three kills, and another Dickinson State error to close the set at 25-11.
 
Set two was all about the Marauders as they opened up the set with eight of the first nine points thanks to three kills, two team blocks, a service ace, and two Blue Hawk errors to jump out to an 8-1 lead. Dickinson State matched the Marauders at that point, but U-Mary used a potent offensive burst to close out the second set on a 12-2 run highlighted by seven kills, three Marauder aces, a Blue Hawk errors, and an Alexis Jacobs kill to secure the second set win at 25-9.
 
U-Mary methodically built a 12-4 lead in what would be the final set and they eventually cruised to a 25-13 win punctuated by Lauren Randall's 10th kill on the evening for her fourth double double in five games, doubling her total from her first year in a Marauder uniform.
 
Randall finished with 10 kills and 16 digs on the night, with a .500 attack percentage, three service aces, and two block assists.
 
Rachel Astrup aided on the offensive end with nine kills on 13 attacks for a .615 clip to go with her four block assists.
 
Thayna Silva was active on all ends of the court as she finished with seven kills on 23 attacks, four assists, one service ace, one solo block, two block assists, and three digs.
 
Jacobs had a strong showing, as she was errorless in 12 attacks with seven kills, a .583 attack percentage, and two block assists.
 
Janell Finkbeiner was the primary driver of the offense tonight as she earned 26 assists on the evening to go with four digs.
 
Alex Brown and Casey Reamann split time as libero with Brown finishing with nine digs and Reamann earning seven of her own.
 
The Marauders will travel to Kearney, Neb., on Friday, September 11, for four matches in the Fall Classic Tournament hosted by the University of Nebraska at Kearney. U-Mary will play Kearney and Northwestern Oklahoma State University on the opening day, followed by matches against the University of Illinois-Springfield and Chadron State College on the second day.
 
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