Crookston, Minn. –?The Bemidji State University volleyball team traded sets with the University of Minnesota Crookston, 3-2 (18-25, 25-19, 20-25, 25-17, 9-15) but unable to secure the win in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play, Tuesday night. The Beavers (3-21, 2-14 NSIC) finished with more kills than the Golden Eagles (4-20, 3-13 NSIC) 54 to 52 in the match and setting a season high. Junior Hallie Mertz set a new career high with 18 kills leading the way for the Beavers.

BSU and UMC traded sets back and forth in the match starting with Minnesota Crookston taking set one. The Golden Eagles out hit the Beavers .375 to .167 in set one. BSU responds by hitting .462 their match best in the following set to earn the 25-19 set victory. In set two the Beavers recorded seven aces and 13 kills. Set four would go the way of Minnesota Crookston in the closest set 25-20. Bemidji State would win set four to force set five 25-17. In the final set BSU trailed 4-0 before coming back with the next four points. The two teams traded points until UMC took the 10-8 lead and continued to find their spots to win the match 15-9.

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In the season high performance for kills Ashley East finished second on team tallying 11 in the five-set match. Rylie Bjerklie and Ashley Crowl both finished the night with eight kills as well. The team also set a new season high with 12 aces in the match. Bjerklie was able to score of the serve times and Hally Holker and Crowl had three aces. The Beavers were able to hit above .300 in the match; Rylee Pompa (.364), East (.348) and Emily Wade (.333) as a team they finished hitting .179.

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The defense was strong blocking 9 attacks at the net. The team leader in blocks, Bjerklie added six to her total and East added four. Mertz set a career high in digs tallying 22 in the match. Madison Weyker was behind her with 14.

Setting up the Beaver attack was Holker coming away with her career high of 30. Wade was also able to set up 15 Beaver points.

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The Beavers return to action this weekend as they hit the road to take on Minot State University and the University of Mary. The first match will be at Minot, S.D., on Friday, Oct. 28 with a start time of 6 p.m. Followed by a 2 p.m., start at Bismarck, N.D., as they take on UMary.

For more information on the Bemidji State volleyball program, follow the Beavers on Twitter (@BSUBeaversVB), like them on Facebook (facebook.com/BSUBeavers and Volleyball Facebook) and follow them on Instagram (@BSUBeaversVB) 

Nestled in Northern Minnesota's wooden region and located on the shore of Lake Bemidji, BSU sponsors 15 varsity athletic programs with NCAA Division I men's hockey membership in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association 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). 

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