ABERDEEN, S.D. - For the first time all season the Bemidji State University volleyball team was able to overcome a game one loss and gain a match victory. In 28 matches this season, BSU has been defeated in the first match 19 times. In the 18 contests previous to Saturday, BSU's opponent has gone on to take the match, but Saturday evening in Aberdeen, S.D. the Beavers battled back to gain victories in the next three games and defeat NSIC rival Northern State University 3-1 (27-30, 30-28, 30-21, 30-24). Senior Heather Haugen (Lanesboro, Minn.) posted a career-best 29 kills to pace a BSU offensive attack that played as well as it had all season hitting .232 as a team.


In 2004, Bemidji State has struggled to put together a complete match. If the offense is on, the defense is lacking and if the defense is there, the offensive attack seems to be MIA. Saturday, BSU was running on all cylinders. The Beavers posted their fourth-best hitting percentage of the year, came just five kills for a season-high and collected over 100 digs for the second consecutive match.

Haugen arguably played her finest match in the green and white as she collected her third consecutive double-double and sixth of the season collecting 29 kills and 23 digs. She also hit at a .338 clip (29k-6e-68att) and added a pair of service aces and four blocks. Freshman Brittney Burns (Henderson, Minn.) was the only other BSU player to collect more than 10 kills as she put down 17 kills. Senior setter Kristin Smith (Rockford, Ill.) posted her team-best ninth double-double of the season with 37 assists and 15 digs.

For the second straight match, the BSU floor defense collected over 100 digs. Five BSU players recorded double-digit defensive save totals including three who eclipsed the 20-dig mark. Senior defensive specialist Kristine Engman (Virginia, Minn.) made 25 defensive saves to lead the charge while Haugen and freshman Alicia Beaman dug 23 and 20 respectively.

On the BSU front-line, it was junior Christa Anderson (Siren, Wis.) who collected a team-high five blocks (5 assists) to lead the Beavers to a team total of nine. In addition to Haugen's four (1 solo, 3 assists), freshman Brittney Carlson (New Prague, Minn.) also collected three (3 assists).

Chelsey Deibert and Angie Aadahl led the struggling Wolves, who have lost their last eight matches, with 15 kills apiece. Alecia Stark collected a match-high 29 digs and Kellie Heier led the team with 50 assists.

The win brings BSU's overall record to 10-18 while the team is 3-9 in NSIC play and is now sitting alone at sixth place in the league standings. The Beavers will begin their final week of the regular season with a conference battle at Winona State University on Friday night at 7:00 p.m. Saturday the team will travel to No. 4 Concordia University-St. Paul for a 3:00 p.m. match.