Box Score WINONA, Minn. (McCown Gymnasium) [box]- The Bemidji State University volleyball team snapped its 11-match losing skid to Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference opponents tonight as the Beavers upended the Winona State Warriors in three games. The Beavers earned the match by scores of 30-27, 30-23, 30-25.

Although the Warriors had more kills, digs, and set assists in the match they committed 32 hitting errors, 13 services errors and one ball handling error while the Beavers committed just 16 hitting errors, three services errors and four ball handling errors which proved to help lead BSU to its first conference win in eleven previous matches.

The Warriors totaled 50 kills on 124 attempts while committing 32 errors for a team hitting percentage of .145 while BSU collected 37 kills on 105 attempts with 16 errors for a .200 hitting percentage. BSU and WSU were pretty even at the net with BSU having the slight advantage as the Beavers collected seven total blocks (0bs-14ba) while the Warriors garnering six total blocks (0bs-12ba).

Heather Sampson (Fr., OH, Brooklyn Park, Minn.) accounted for nearly thirty-three percent of the teams kills as she was the lone BSU player in double-digits with 10 kills in the match hitting at a pace of .214. Brittney Burns (Sr., OH, LeSueur, Minn.) was second on the team in kills with six. Anna Leafblad (So., MB, Blaine, Minn.), Nicole Olson (Fr., OH, Baudette, Minn.) and Jennifer Janckila (Jr., MB, Appleton, Wis.) each spiked down five kills respectively.

Burns and Chelsea Geisler (Jr., LB, Grand Rapids, Minn.) led the team defensively as they both garnered eight digs on the evening. Nicole Olson set a new career and season high in blocks in the match as she recorded six blocks (0bs-6ba) and Jennifer Janckila garnered five blocks of her own a season high.

Allison Kunde (So., S., Burnsville, Minn.) rallied the Beaver offense with 16 set assists while senior Alicia Beaman (St. Paul Park, Minn.) recorded 13 assists on the evening.

The Warriors were paced by Jenna Padley and Carmen Stankowski. Padley had 14 kills with one dig and four block assists while Stankowski had 13 kills and seven digs and one block assist. Defensively Lisa Dobie led the Warriors with nine digs while Kim Nemcek had five block assists. Dobie also recorded 40 set assists in the losing effort for the Warriors.

The win lifts BSU in the all-time series over WSU as the Beavers extend their lead to 44-36 over the Warriors since the series began in the fall of 1970. This is just the second time the Beavers have beaten the Warriors in the last six matches. Last season the Warriors and Beavers split the season series.

With the win the Beavers snap a 11-match losing streak to NSIC opponents dating back to Oct. 6, 2006 when the Beavers beat the Upper Iowa Peacocks in five games, 3-2.

The win is the first NSIC win for head coach Laurie Bitter. She has led her team to a 4-6 overall record and a 1-4 record in conference play. The 4-6 mark is the best start through the first ten matches the Beavers have held since the 2004 season when the Beavers were 4-6 through the first ten matches.

Bemidji State (4-6; 1-4 NSIC) will look to put together its first winning streak of the season tomorrow afternoon when the Beavers will face the Upper Iowa University Peacocks (3-10; 0-4 NSIC) tomorrow at 5:00 p.m. from the Dorman Gymnasium in Fayette, Iowa.

--beavers--