Box Score BEMIDJI, Minn. (BSU Gymnasium) [box] - In a evenly matched battle between the Bemidji State Beavers and the St. Cloud State Huskies the Beavers were able to prevail and sweep the Huskies in the season series for the first time since 1980. The Beavers held on for the victory by scores of 30-25, 26-30, 30-25, 31-33, 15-12.

The Beavers attack out hit the Huskies attack by the narrowest of margins as the Beavers hit at a clip of .176 (68k-31e-210at) while the Huskies hit .160 (73k-38e-219at) for the match. The Beavers had four players garner double-digit kills in the match. Nicole Olson (Fr., OH, Baudette, Minn.) led the Beavers tying a career-high with 21 kills hitting a remarkable rate of .349. Brie Groskreutz (So., OH, Reedsburg, Wis.) added 14 kills, while setting a season-high with 58 attempts. Heather Sampson (Fr., OH, Brooklyn Park, Minn.) and Jennifer Janckila (Jr., MB, Appleton, Wis.) each joined Olson and Groskreutz with double-digit kills as sampson hammered down 13 kills and Janckila smashed down 11 kills for a new season high. Janckila set a new career-high with 43 attempts on the night.

Chelsea Geisler (Jr., LB, Grand Rapids, Minn.) and Groskreutz were the Beavers’ leading defensive players as Geisler set a new career-high for the second consecutive match with a 31 dig performance. With the 31 dig performance she becomes third Bemidji State player to garner 30 or more digs in a match this season. She is just the sixth player to garner 30 or more digs in a match since the 2001 season until now. Groskreutz notched 30 or more digs for the third time this season as she netted 30 digs in the win. Laura Vonasek (So., LB, East Grand Forks, Minn.) chipped in with 19 digs.

Setter’s Alicia Beaman (Jr., S, St. Paul Park, Minn.) and Allison Kunde (So., S, Burnsville, Minn.) each compiled double-digit assists in the match. Beaman led the way with 37 assists and Kunde chipped in with 23 to pace the Beaver offensive charge.

Groskreutz recorded her team leading, seventh double-double of the season with her 14 kills and 30 digs. It was the 11 double-double of her career. It was also the second time this season that she has recorded 30 or more digs against the Huskies as she posted a 33 dig night in the Beavers first match versus the Huskies this season.

The Huskies were led by Emily Baldwin who topped all players with 24 kills while attacking the ball almost 100 times with 93 attacks in the match. Andreana Pieper led all players with 36 digs for the Huskies and Jennifer Waterman posted the Huskies lone double-double as she had 63 assists and 17 digs.

Every game was tightly contested as the biggest lead in any game was eight points, when the Beavers held a 25-17 lead in game one of the match. The Beavers committed eight less errors than the Huskies in the match and that seemed to help push the them to the win in the closely contested games.

In a match that saw 45 tie scores and 26 lead changes the Beavers were able to hold on for its seventh victory of the season and improve to 7-9 overall and 3-7 in the NSIC. The seven wins ties last season total when the Beavers were 7-25. With the win the Beavers snap a three match losing skid. The 7-9 mark is the best start for the Beavers since 2003 when the Beavers were 8-8 through the first sixteen matches of the season.

The win also makes it the Beavers second win at home this season. It is the first time since 2004 that the Beavers have won two matches at home in one season.

With the win over the Huskies the Beavers improve to 16-39 all-time versus the Huskies and put them on a two-match winning streak versus St. Cloud State. BSU improves to 5-10 all-time versus the Huskies on the campus of Bemidji State University.

Bemidji State (7-9; 3-7 NSIC) will be looking to start up its second winning-streak of the season this weekend as they will retrun to NSIC action hosting the University of Mary Marauders on Friday, Oct. 12 at 7:00 p.m. and will round out their week of play against the Northern State Wolves on Saturday Oct. 13 at 3:00 p.m. from the BSU Gymnasium.

--beavers--