BEMIDJI, Minn. --The Bemidji State University volleyball team never seemed to find a rhythm in the 0-3 (20-25, 27-29, 22-25) loss to Winona State University, Friday. BSU was looking to earn a season-sweep of the Warriors after winning 3-2 in Winona, Minn. Sept. 25.

BSU never found and sustained a rhythm in the match and failed to have a lead in the first and third sets. The Beavers went down 1-5 in the first set, but rattled off three points to get within one. The two teams traded little runs to a 9-10 score, but four straight Warrior points gave WSU a five point lead and forced a BSU timeout. The Beavers made a little comeback at 17-19, but a service error ended their momentum and the Warriors took the set 25-20. BSU jumped out to a 7-2 lead in the second set, but WSU charged back with a 5-1 run to cut the deficit to one. The Beavers were able to hold the lead, but the Warriors never went away and finally tied the match 22-22. The teams then traded tallies into extra points. WSU would come out on top with a 29-27 win, heading into the locker room. The wind really came out of the home team’s sails in the start of the third set, as BSU went down 0-7. The Beavers were looking at an uphill battle, but came together and worked extra hard to gain points, eventually tying the match 21-21. A BSU service error and a WSU service ace gave the road team a 23-21 advantage. A kill by juniorNicole Olson (Baudette, Minn.) put the Beavers back within one, but the Warriors scored the final two points and took the set 25-22 and the match 3-0.

Olson had a team-high 10 kills and a .308 hitting percentage. Junior Brie Groskreutz (OH, Reedsburg, Minn.) posted 17 digs to lead the squad. Sophomore Courtney Bitter (S, Bemidji, Minn.) had 32 kills, 11 digs and six kills, establishing her 13th double-double of the season. Junior Nicole Solum (RS, Spokane, Wash.) posted 14 digs and five kills, with a .294 attacking percentage.

Winona State hit .341 in the first set and .283 in the thrid set, en route to the victory. Overall, WSU had a .257 attacking percentage to BSU’s .196. The Warriors dominated the stat sheet, except for blocks where the Beavers had the advantage 4-3.

Notes: BSU is 5-4 at home this season, needing a win tomorrow against Upper Iowa to secure an above .500 home record for the first time since 2003 when the team went 7-4...Groskreutz stands fifth in digs in a season (Since 1980) by a Beaver with 496...Bitter’s 1,031 assists in 2009 ranks eighth on BSU’s season charts (since 1980).

The Beavers close out the 2009 season against Upper Iowa University tomorrow.

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

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