Box Score Fayette, Iowa (Dorman Gymnasium) [box] - The Bemidji State University volleyball team posted its longest win streak since the 2004 season with a five game win over the Upper Iowa University Peacocks this afternoon in Fayette, Iowa. BSU earned the victory by scores of 30-23, 27-30, 30-28, 27-30, 15-11. This is the first win for the Beavers this season when the match has went all five games.

Bemidji State had an even offensive attack this afternoon as the Beavers had four girls that finished the match with double-digit kills. Nicole Olson (Fr., OH, Baudette, Minn.) led the offensive charge with 18 kills, hitting at a rate of .455 (18k-3e-33at). Joining Olson with double-digit kills was Brittney Burns (Sr., OH, LeSueur, Minn.) (17), Brie Groskreutz (So., OH, Reedsburg, Wis.) (15), and Heather Sampson (Fr., OH, Brooklyn Park, Minn.) (14)

The Beavers out hit the Peacocks in the match totaling 72 kills on 181 attempts while committing 20 errors for a team hitting percentage of .287 while the Peacocks collected 68 kills on 196 attempts with 34 errors for a .173 hitting percentage. BSU dominated at the net as the Beavers collected 16 total blocks (4bs-24ba) while the Peacocks garnered nine total blocks (1bs-16ba).

Laura Vonasek (So., LB, East Grand Forks, Minn.) and Nicole Olson led the Beaver defense. Vonasek posted a career high with 22 digs while Olson notched nine blocks (1bs-9ba) for a new career high.

Groskreutz and Alicia Beaman (Sr., S, St. Paul Park, Minn.) joined Vonasek with double-digit digs as Groskreutz had 17 digs and Beaman notched 15 digs in the match.

Alicia Beaman rallied the offense with a season high 53 set assists while sophomore Allison Kunde (Burnsville, Minn.) recorded 12 assists on the evening.

Bemidji State had three players post double-doubles. Groskreutz garnered her fourth double-double of the season and eighth of her career (15k-17d), Beaman notched her third double-double of the season and 33rd of her career (53a-15d) and Olson recorded her first double-double of her career with 18 digs and 10 blocks.

The trend continued in that the winner of the first game of the match would be the winner of the match. In 10 of BSU’s 11 matches the winner of the first game has went on to win the match. The Beavers won the first game 30-23 and was able to go on to win the match. Upper Iowa battled back to even the match at one game apiece going into the break with a 30-27 win in game two.

The Beavers were able to come out after the break and win game three 30-28 in a back-and-fourth contest. Upper Iowa rallied for a game four win, 30-27, to push the match to a fifth and deciding game. The Peacocks recorded 20 kills in the game to the Beavers 16 to aid them to the win.

Bemidji State came out in game five and took a three point lead, 8-5, when the teams switched sides. The Beavers would be able to fend off a late Peacock rally had hold on to a 15-11 victory. With the victory, the Beavers posted its first winning streak since the 2004 season when the Beavers had a two-game winning streak in October of 2004.

The Beavers set team season-highs with 72 kills, 71 assists and 16 blocks.

The Peacocks were lead by Shea Meyermann and Beth Deutmeyer. Meyermann had 23 kills with nine dig and two block assists while Deutmeyer had 14 kills and two digs and six blocks (1bs-5ba). Defensively Nicole Burger led the Peacocks with 19 digs while Tatiana Jackson was the other Peacock to garner double-digit digs with 12. Jackson also recorded 47 set assists in the losing effort for the Peacocks.

The win lifts BSU in the all-time series over UIU as the Beavers extend their lead to 6-1 over the Peacocks since the series began in the fall of 2004. The Beavers have beat the Peacocks in the last four meetings between the teams and is just the second time the Beavers have won in Fayette, Iowa.

BSU head coach Laurie Bitter has led her team to a 5-6 overall record and a 2-4 record in conference play. The 5-6 mark is the best start through the first eleven matches the Beavers have held since the 2003 season when the Beavers were 6-5 through the first eleven matches.

Bemidji State (5-6; 2-4 NSIC) will host the Golden Eagles of Minnesota, Crookston on Friday, Sept. 28 from the BSU Gymnasium at 7:00 p.m.

--beavers--