BEMIDJI, Minn. (BSU Gymnasium) — The Bemidji State University volleyball team fell in three sets to University of Sioux Falls Saturday afternoon at BSU Gymnasium. The loss moves Bemidji State to 5-21 overall and 3-14 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play (NSIC), while USF improves to 16-12 overall and 10-8 in conference action. 

Courtney Volkmann moved up to fifth place on BSU’s all-time assist list with a 25-assist performance against the Cougars. Volkmann now has 2,511 assists in her career.

Set 1: Sioux Falls got out to a 4-0 lead on the Beavers and never looked back as it took the first frame by a score of 25-18. Despite the slow start, BSU still hit .312 in the firs,t while committing just one attacking error in 32 attempts. Senior Kelsi Crawford paced Bemidji State’s offense with four kills in the first frame.

Set 2: USF kept up its hot hitting in the second stanza, while BSU did not. The Cougars outhit the Beavers .390 to .211. Sophomore Amanda Tronick paced the Beavers with five kills of her nine killsin the match coming in the second. 

Set 3: Bemidji State got out to as much as a five-point lead in the third set (17-12), but a late rally by USF sealed the match for the Cougars, 25-22.  The Beavers held the lead in the frame as late as 22-21 but the Cougars tallied the next four points to finish off Bemidji State.

Notes on Bemidji State

• The match was the final action at BSU Gymnasium for BSU’s four seniors: Elissa Christensen, Rachel Craig, Kelsi Crawford and Courtney Volkmann.
• Bemidji State won the battle on the block versus the Cougars five to two. BSU has out blocked its opponents in four of its last five matches. Craig led BSU in blocks against USF with three.   

Next up: Bemidji State will close out its 2014 schedule on the road next weekend as it travels to Augustana College Friday and Wayne State College Saturday.  

For more information on the Bemidji State athletic programs, tickets or schedules, visit BSUBeavers.com, follow the Beavers on Twitter (@BSUBeavers), like them on Facebook (facebook.com/BSUBeavers) or sign up for the TXTUpdates from BSUBeavers.com text-messaging system through the "Multimedia" pull down menu on the main page of BSUBeavers.com.

Nestled in Northern Minnesota’s wooded region and located on the shore of Lake Bemidji, Bemidji State University sponsors 15 varsity athletic programs with NCAA Division I men’s and women’s hockey membership in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, while its 13 NCAA Division II programs hold membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).

--bsu--