GRAND FORKS, N.D. – The University of Denver women's volleyball team wrecked North Dakota's perfect home record with a 3-1 victory Sunday afternoon. The Pioneers took the win by scores of 25-20, 23-25, 25-17, and 25-20.

DU holds a 16-1 mark this season, remaining a perfect 5-0 in Summit League play. Denver and Omaha remain the only two teams undefeated in league play this year.  

"It's great to end a long road trip with a win against a very good team," said head coach Tom Hogan. "North Dakota plays very well at home and they challenged us throughout the match. We executed well when we played a clean game, but struggled when we compounded difficult situations. We look forward to getting back to Denver and preparing to face Purdue Fort Wayne this Friday in Hamilton."

Strong Start:
The Crimson and Gold opened competition against the Hawks with strong offensive tactics. In set one they tallied 19 kills in 39 attempts and a .333 hitting percentage, holding North Dakota to only nine kills and a .200 hitting percentage.

Bartalo Bombs:
Sophomore Lydia Bartalo entered the weekend ranked No. 4 in the NCAA with 37 service aces. Bartalo tallied two aces on Friday, Oct. 5 against South Dakota, and notched one more in today's match against North Dakota.

The Colorado native holds 40 aces this season, and is on track to break the Denver individual season record for aces, held by Lisa Hunter who tallied 48 aces during the 2003 season.

Pioneer Performers:
Category leaders for DU were Becca Latham (12 kills), Katarina Marinkovic (three aces), Ellie Anderson (29 assists), Tina Boe (12 kills; four blocks), and Macy Carrabine (27 digs).

Let's Talk Numbers:
After 17 matches Denver has totaled 912 kills in 2,147 attempts, 851 assists, 136.5 blocks, 133 aces, 885 digs, and average a .280 hitting percentage.

What's Next for DU:
The Pioneers will return home to Hamilton Gym to host Purdue Fort Wayne at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 12, and Western Illinois at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 14.

TICKETS: 
Single-game tickets for the 2018 Denver volleyball season are also on sale, and can be purchased here.
 
PIONEER MOVEMENT: 
Fans interested in making a donation to the volleyball program can do so by clicking here. Your contribution will make a direct impact on the success of YOUR Pioneers. Thank you in advance for your unwavering support of our student-athletes and their quest for excellence.