California Baptist University
2-4,0-0Big West
University of North Dakota
3-3,0-0Summit League
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | 25 | 23 | 10 | 25 | 15 | 3 |
| California Baptist | 19 | 25 | 25 | 23 | 13 | 2 |
CBU Loses Heartbreaker to North Dakota in Home Opener
9/10/2026 10:05:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
RIVERSIDE--- The California Baptist University volleyball team suffered a heartbreaking defeat in its home opener on Thursday night, falling in a five-set battle to the North Dakota Fighting Hawks in Riverside. The loss drops CBU to 2-4 on the season while North Dakota earns its fourth win.
North Dakota would strike first in the opening frame as they would take advantage of a large number of service errors from the Lancers to win the set 25-19 and take a 1-0 set advantage. CBU battled back in the second set, leading by as many as five points before several North Dakota runs would even the score at 20 apiece. CBU countered with a 3-0 run to force a UND timeout, and a costly Fighting Hawk service error would seal the win for the Lancers 25-23 and tie the match.
Set #3 was the most lopsided of the evening as the Lancers found its rhythm in the frame and would hammer North Dakota to the tune of a 25-10 victory to take the 2-1 lead in the match. The Lancers could not quite put away North Dakota in the fourth set as the Fighting Hawks would overcome a late deficit to force the fifth set with a 25-23 victory in the frame.
In the deciding set, North Dakota would build an early 5-2 lead to force Trevor Johnson into an early huddle session. CBU would then rattle off five straight points soon after and take a 10-8 lead to force UND into a timeout. North Dakota countered with a 4-0 run to put CBU into a precarious situation, but the Lancers would bring the score to within one at 14-13 following a clutch kill from Eleftheria Baxa. The match would end on a Lancer service error as the Fighting Hawks claimed the win 15-13 in the fifth set.
Despite the loss, the Lancers welcomed back the services of Emery Dejong, who made the most of her season debut with 13 kills and nine digs. Baxa led the way with 16 kills on a .429 hitting percentage, while Bella Breuer was phenomenal in the middle with 11 kills and three blocks. Avery Barber submitted a terrific 40/13 double-double and would also tie a career-best with three kills on setter dumps.
NEXT: The Lancers will be back in action on day two of the Joust as they host Sacred Heart on Friday at 6 PM.
