Box Score BEMIDJI, Minn. (BSU Gymnasium) [box]- The Bemidji State University volleyball team dropped a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference match to Minnesota State University, Moorhead Saturday afternoon at the BSU Gymnasium. The Dragons earned the victory by scores of 19-30, 30-25, 31-29, 30-22.

The Beavers were their own worst enemy in the match committing 53 unforced errors virtually handing MSUM a game and a half. In addition MSUM picked up their game after the game 1 loss and was able to find the open holes in the BSU defense and standing strong at the net.

The Dragons totaled 59 kills on 191 attempts while committing 25 errors for a team hitting percentage of .178 while BSU collected 63 kills on 195 attempts with 41 errors for a .113 hitting percentage. MSUM dominated the net collecting 25 total blocks (2bs-46ba) with Kelci Guenther leading the charge posting two solo blocks and 17 block assists in the match.

Brittney Burns (Sr., OH, LeSueur, Minn.) accounted for nearly forty-percent of the teams kills as she posted a season high 24 kills and a season high hitting percentage of .413 (24k-5e-46ta). Brie Groskreutz (So., OH, Reedsburg, Wis.) was the only other BSU player to garner double-digit kills as she added 11 kills in the match.

Burns and Groskreutz also led the team defensively as Groskreutz garnered 29 digs and three block assists while Burns tallied 15 digs and one block assist. Burns and Groskreutz each recorded double-doubles as Burns notched her fifth of the season and 30th of her career with Groskreutz picking up her third double-double and seventh of her career. Laura Vonasek (So., LB, East Grand Forks, Minn.) added 13 digs for the Beavers. Anna Leafblad (So., MH, Blaine, Minn.) recorded a carrer-high seven blocks (1bs-6ba)

Alicia Beaman (Sr., S., St. Paul Park, Minn.) amassed a season high 36 set assists with eight digs and two block assists in the match.

The Dragons were paced by Megan Norling and Laura Tvrdik. Norling had 17 kills with 13 digs and six block assists while Tvrdik had 15 kills and seven block assists. Defensively Calla Oftedahl led the Dragons with 20 digs while Kelci Guenther had 10.5 blocks.

The match began with the Dragons jumping out to a 2-0 lead over the Beavers. The Beavers went on a five point run behind the serving of Alicia Beaman to take the lead 5-2. The Beavers put together their longest run of the season as they scored seven points in a row to push their lead to 11-3. From there on the Beavers coasted and took game 1, 30-19.

In game 2 the Beavers led 1-0 and 3-2 but from there on out MSUM took over and with the score deadlocked at 3-3 the Dragons surged ahead of the Beavers and didn’t look back . MSUM would stay in the lead the remainder of the game and notch the match up at one game apiece with a 30-25 win.

BSU came out in game 3 and rattled off five quick points to take a early 5-0 lead. BSU continued to apply pressure as they eventually took a eight point lead (10-2) and seemed to have the game in hand when they held a lead of 27-20. The Beavers would see its lead disintegrate as the Dragons collected the next seven points to tie the game at 27-27. The two teams traded points and with the score 29-29 the Dragons turned it on to complete the game 3 comeback, 31-29 and a 2-1 lead in the match.

The Beavers held a 1-0 lead in the fourth game, but the Dragons regained the lead at 5-1. BSU battle back rattling off five points of its own to take its second lead of the game at 6-5. The Dragons turned up the heat and pushed their lead to 10-6, and never looked back as they would win game 4 and the match with a 30-22 game 4 win.

The loss pushes BSU back further in the all-time series as MSUM extends its lead to 60-55-1 over the Beavers since the series began in the fall of 1969. MSUM has now defeated BSU in each of the last six matches dating back to Nov. 4, 2003.

Bemidji State (3-6; 0-4 NSIC) will attempt to put an end to its current 11-match losing skid to NSIC opponents as the Beavers will travel to Winona, Minn. to take on the Winona State Warriors on Friday, Sept. 21 at 7:00 p.m. and will wrap up the weekend swing in Fayette, Iowa with a match-up with the Upper Iowa Peacocks on Saturday, Sept. 22 at 5:00 p.m.

--beavers--