BISMARCK, N.D. - The Bemidji State University Volleyball team was unable to string points together after winning the first set as they fell 3-1 (18-25, 25-17, 25-20, 25-22) to University of Mary on Tuesday night at McDowell Activity Center in Bismarck, N.D. The Beavers fall to 3-6 (0-1 NSIC) on the season. U-Mary improves to 2-7 (1-0 NSIC) on the year with the victory. Tuesday was the conference opener for both teams.

“I’m still a believer in what this team can and will accomplish in all points of the game,” said head coach Wayne Chadwick. “We have the skill and personnel to compete in matches. As a team, we have flashes of brilliance. We just need to work on excelling in each phase of the game at the same time. Their are moments where we pass well but we struggle on the attack. We have the opposite at times, as well. I just hope we can find some more consistency in our game.”

Bethany Thompson (Jr., OH, Owatonna, Minn.) who came into the match as BSU’s leader in kills averaging 2.86 per game, continued to lead the Beavers as she tallied a team-high 14 kills and hit .273 for the game. Rachel Craig (Fr., MB, Wadena, Minn.) had seven kills and hit .700 on the night. Wadena-Deer Creek High School teammate Kelsi Crawford (Fr., OH/DS) added 10 kills. BSU struggled offensively with only a .136 hitting percentage and 30 errors.

Jessi-Beth McCannell (Sr., S,  Brandon, Manitoba) tallied a season-high 45 assists on the night.

Defensively, Laura Carlson (Jr., Lib., Hutchinson, Minn.) had 17 digs. Thompson added 13 digs on the night. 

U-Mary had a strong night on the attack hitting .315 as a team. Junior outside hitter Julie Paradine led the way with 18 kills and a .348 hitting percentage. Allison Opp, a sophomore middle hitter for the Marauders, had 11 kills and hit .296.

Hailee Walsh and Emily Turkowski split time at setter with Turkowski netting 23 assists and Walsh adding 18.

Paradine and libero Valerie Lesu paced the U-Mary defense with 10 digs apiece.

The Beavers will play their first home matches of the season as they host Minnesota State University Moorhead on Friday at 7 p.m., and University of Minnesota, Crookston on Saturday at 3 p.m., at BSU Gymnasium.