Bears Defeat Murray State in Five Sets at Blue Raider Bash

Friday, September 11

Murfreesboro, Tenn.

9 a.m. MT | 10 a.m. CT

University of Northern Colorado

2-4,0-0Big Sky

Murray State

1-6,0-0MVC

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Final F
Northern Colo.	25	21	24	25	15	3
Murray St.	21	25	26	18	6	2

PC: Jack Campbell

9/11/2026 11:56:00 AM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

By: Elian Soto, Assistant Director of Strategic Communications

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Northern Colorado volleyball battled through five sets Friday morning, earning a 3-2 victory over Murray State at Alumni Memorial Gym. The Bears used a strong finish to claim the neutral-site win, taking the final two sets 25-18 and 15-6 to improve to 2-4 on the season.

The Bears and Racers traded momentum throughout the opening four sets. UNC opened the match with a 25-21 victory before Murray State answered with a 25-21 win in the second. The Racers edged the Bears 26-24 in the third set, but Northern Colorado responded with a dominant 25-18 fourth set to force a decisive fifth.

CAREER DAYS FOR SNEAD AND WALTON: The Bears were led offensively by a pair of career performances. Summer Snead recorded a new career high with 20 kills, finishing the match with an impressive .714 hitting percentage while adding five blocks. Gillian Walton also set a new career high, putting down 19 kills while hitting .452 on 31 attacks.

Alayna Tessena added 11 kills, four service aces and 10 digs, while Leila Ballard contributed eight kills, two service aces and five digs. Maddie Rink chipped in five kills, with Addison Roark adding three.

Nerea Alvarez Jorge orchestrated the offense with 60 assists, while Bella LePore led the defensive effort with 19 digs. As a team, Northern Colorado hit .435 for the match and totaled 71 kills.

STRONG FINISH: After dropping the third set by two points, the Bears responded in a big way. UNC hit .519 in the fourth set, scoring 16 kills with just two errors, before closing out the match with a 15-6 fifth-set victory. Northern Colorado hit .526 in the deciding set and did not commit an attack error.

The Bears' 10-0 run in the final set helped put the match away and secure the win.

UP NEXT: UNC Volleyball will return to action later this evening for its second match of the day, facing tournament host Middle Tennessee at 6 p.m. MT.

BEAR ATTACKERS CLUB: The Bear Attackers Club plays a vital role in the success of UNC Volleyball. Contributions enhance the overall student-athlete experience by providing elevated nutrition, high-quality equipment, and travel opportunities that support competitive performances throughout the season. These investments directly empower our student-athletes as they prepare for every match, ensuring the Bears are equipped to perform at their best.

Give to the Bear Attackers Club today!

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