BEMIDJI, Minn. (BSU Gymnasium) - The Bemidji State University volleyball team dropped its Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) match to the Winona State Warriors tonight from the BSU Gymnasium. The Warriors downed the Beavers by scores of 25-10, 25-15, 25-12.

Heather Sampson (So., OH, Brooklyn Park, Minn.) paced a BSU attack that managed just 24 kills with five while hitting a team-best .333 (5-1-12). Lindsey Weyer (So., OH, Loyal, Wis.) chipped in with four kills while Nicole Olson (So., MB, Baudette, Minn.), Courtney Bitter (Fr., S, Bemidji, Minn.), and Melissa McNeely (Fr., OH, Burnsville, Minn.) each tallied three kills of their own to account for the bulk of the Beavers’ offense.

Defensively, the Beavers were led by Bitter who dug-out nine balls. Laura Vonasek (Jr., LB, East Grand Forks, Minn.) chipped in with six digs in the match. Sampson notched a season-high four blocks (0bs-4ba) for the third time this season to hold down the net for BSU.

Bitter was the floor general for the Beavers as she netted 20 set assists. She has recorded at least 20 assists in 15 of BSU’s 16 matches this season.

Jessi Peterson led the Warriors with 11 kills, two blocks and hit .455 (11-1-22) in the match. The duo of Carmen Stankowski and Rudi Balich led WSU on the defensive side of the ball with 16 and 13 digs, respectively. Jenna Padley joined BSU’s Sampson with a match-high four blocks (0bs-4ba). Setter Mollie Bjelland notched a match-high 39 set assists and seven digs.

The Warriors serve had BSU baffled all night as they recorded 11 service aces, five from Shannon McGowan and four from Carmen Stankowski.

WSU closes the gap in the all-time series to 44-38 and is now 12-15 all-time when facing the Beavers at the BSU Gymnasium.

Bemidji State (5-11; 1-3 NSIC) will complete its week of play tomorrow afternoon as the Beavers will battle the Upper Iowa University Peacocks at 4 p.m. from the BSU 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--