CANYON, Texas -- [box score] Junior outside hitter Brittney Burns (LeSueur, Minn.) powered the Bemidji State University volleyball team to its first victory of the 2006 campaign Saturday in the team's final game of the GrapevineWoods.com Lady Buff Classic in Canyon, Texas. Burns paced the team with 16 kills and a.394 hitting percentage (16k-3e-33at) as the Beavers swept New Mexico Highlands University 30-20, 30-22, 30-20.

In addition to Burns' offensive output, sophomore middle blocker Jennifer Janckila (Appleton, Wis.) totaled a season-best 14 kills while hitting an efficient .591 (14k-1e-22at)--a career best for the second-year player.

The Beavers and Cowgirls traded points during the first portion game one, but when BSU came back to knot the score at 7-7, it was the beginning of a 8-2 scoring run that gave the Beavers a commanding 14-9 lead. BSU would never look back taking game one, 30-20.

The Beavers came out in game two to rattle off the first four point to take and early lead on the serve of Brie Groskruetz (Fr., OH, Reedsberg, Wis.). BSU would never trail in the game, but NMHU would cut the BSU lead in half (4-2) before BSU score four of the next five points to go up 8-3 and go on to take a 2-0 lead 30-22.

Game three was either team's for the taking. The Cowgirls and Beavers saw the score tied on 10 occasions before Burns broke the 16-16 deadlock with a kill, sparking 7-1 run. BSU would out score NMHU 13-4 to close out the game, 30-20, and solidify the sweep.

In the four-match tournament, Burns collected 54 kills (4.42 kpg) and hit .254 (54k-19e-134at) while averaging 2.58 digs per game to earn herself a spot on the All-Tournament team.

Bemidji State, 1-3 on the season, will be back in action next weekend when they are slated to participate in the Concordia College Classic. Friday (Sept. 1) the team is scheduled battle Mayville State University at 5:00 p.m. and Valley City State University in the 7:30 p.m. match. Saturday, the team will play the hosting Cobbers at 9:30 a.m. and will wrap up the event with a 2:30 p.m. match versus St. Scholastica.

-bsu-