WINONA, Minn. (McCown Gymnasium) - The Bemidji State University volleyball team dropped a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) match to the Winona State University Warriors tonight from McCown Gymnasium in Winona, Minn. The Warriors downed the Beavers by scores of 25-19, 25-28, 25-23.

For the fourteenth time this season and the fourth match in a row the Beavers opponent hit over .300. The Winona State University Warriors hit .374 (48k-11e-99at) in the match as the Beavers could not keep pace as they hit .220 (39k-15e-109at). Bemidji State totaled 15 hitting errors to the Warriors 11 and totaled 30 errors to Winona State’s 23 errors.

The duo of Nicole Olson (So., MB, Baudette, Minn.) and Melissa McNeely (Fr., OH, Burnsville, Minn.) led the Beavers offensive attack as they both posted eight kills. McNeely led the team in hitting percentage with a .389 (8k-1e-18at) averaged while Olson hit .174 (8k-4e-23at) in the match.

Defensively, the Beavers were led by the trio of Laura Slinger (Fr., OH, Faribault, Minn.), Courtney Bitter (Fr., S, Bemidji, Minn.) and Jessi-Beth McCannell (Fr., LB, Brandon, Manitoba) who all had eight digs in the match.

Bitter led the Beavers offense with 27 set assists while Slinger added four.

The Warriors attack was very affective as they had six players hit over .300 in the match. Jessi Peterson led all players with a match-high 12 kills while hitting a sizzling .706 (12k-0e-17at). Kerry Daly and Rudi Balich each pounded down nine kills apiece as Daly hit .500 (9k-1e-16at) and Balich hit .304 (9k-2e-23at) in the match. Shannon McGowan led the Warriors defense with 17 digs, while four Warriors had one block. Katie Matel led the Warriors offense with 19 set assists while Katy Flynn chipped in 18 assists.

With the loss the Beavers a now on a season long fourteen-match losing skid and a three match losing slide to the Winona State University Warriors. BSU is now 44-39 all-time versus the Warriors and 16-17 all-time when playing on the campus of Winona State.

Bemidji State (6-25; 2-17 NSIC) will wrap up its 2008 season tomorrow afternoon when the Beavers travel to Fayette, Iowa to take on the Upper Iowa University Peacocks at 3 p.m. from Dorman Gymnasium.

Bemidji State University, located in Bemidji, Minn., is an NCAA Division II institution and a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).

--beavers--