BEMIDJI, MINN. -- Facing a 21-23 deficit in game three, Bemidji State (14-13, 6-5 NSIC) used a 10-5 game-ending run to take a decisive 2-1 advantage. The Beaver volleyball squad went on to take game four and defeat Winona State (9-20, 2-8 NSIC), 3-1, and avenge a 2-3 loss to the Warriors, Sept. 19, 2003. BSU tallied 11 team blocks, which is the ninth match of 2003 with 10 or more. Game scores were 27-30, 30-17, 30-28, 30-21.

“ During that first game we were a little tired and a lot slower with the long match yesterday (against Concordia-St. Paul),” said head coach Kim Falkenhagen. “After that, we started getting the juices flowing and took the game back.”

The Beavers got down early with a 15-10 deficit in game one. But, they answered by scoring six straight and 11 of the next 17 to take a 21-20 lead. The Warriors forced BSU into a time-out in the middle of a 6-1 spurt. The score stood 23-29 in favor of WSU at that point. A kill apiece from junior Kelly Piper and senior Kristin Peterson brought Bemidji State to within two at 27-29 but WSU tallied the final point.

In game two, BSU reached 20 points first, blitzing out to a 20-9 lead. Two of Peterson’s match-high three service aces capped that run for the Beavers. Winona State made a slight push, managing four of five points at one stretch to get to within a 25-14 score. But Bemidji State notched three of the final four points to tie things up at 2-2.

After trailing 5-7 and a BSU stoppage of play, the Beavers countered with a 12-3 run to take a 17-10 lead in game three. Winona State crawled back with a 13-3 run, which included two separate five-point streaks. Trailing 21-23, BSU received a solo block by senior Nicole McDougall that sparked a 10-5 game-ending Beaver burst. The Beavers, which scored the final four points, held WSU to five single tallies for the rest of the way.

In the fourth game, Bemidji State hung on to the momentum and jumped out to a 12-5 lead. The Warriors could only get within three at 13-10 before the hosts ran away with the game, scoring 10 of the next 13 points. During that run, senior Lisa Smith knocked down five kills. Piper wrapped up the match with her 12th kill of the night and helped move Bemidji State to 7-3 at home.

Holding the Warriors to a .146 (48-26-151) hitting mark, the Beavers now have limited their opponents to hit .200 or worse in 13 matches this season.

Haugen tied a season-high with 19 kills as she hit .423 (19-3-37) in the match. In the kills category, Lisa Smith recorded 16, Peterson had 14 and Piper came away with 12. Peterson added 12 digs for her 15th double-double of the season. McDougall chipped in a season-high eight blocks. Coming off the bench in game three, redshirt freshman Kathryn McCannell totaled 36 assists.

“Haugen and McCannell played very well tonight,” said Falkenhagen. “I threw McCannell in to see how she would respond and did great.”

Facing a light week, Bemidji State travels to Minnesota-Crookston for a match against the Golden Eagles on Friday. First serve is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at Lysaker Gymnasium.

NOTE: Bemidji State has won seven straight at home in the all-time series after today’s match; holds a 41-32 advantage...Head coach Kim Falkenhagen ties the 14 season wins of Pat Rosenbrock in 1975, which is second-highest for a rookie skipper...In their last two wins, the Beavers have dropped the first game in the match and stand 4-10 this season when losing game one...The 48 kills by Winona State is the least for a BSU opponent since Northern State hit for 39 in the 3-1 Beaver victory, Oct. 3, 2003...Bemidji State tied the 2001 club with its ninth match of 10+ blocks...The Beavers improve on its best win total (14) since the 1999 program had 25...The 36 assists by Kathryn McCannell is third-highest in her career - she had 48 against Winona State, Sept. 19, 2003.