BEMIDJI, Minn. – In a battle of the Beavers, the Bemidji State University Volleyball team used a season-high .434 hitting percentage to roll to the 3-0 win (25-20, 25-13, 25-12) over Minot State on Saturday afternoon at the BSU Gym in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play.

Bemidji State (6-6, 3-1 NSIC) hit at least .370 in all three sets to finish with 43 kills to 10 errors in 76 chances to hit .434. The best set was the final hitting .480 with 14 kills and just two errors. BSU had at least 14 kills in all three sets, posting a high of 15 in the first set.

Lauren Sitter led the offense with 10 kills and hit an impressive .625 with no errors. Hallie Mertz added nine kills and Zayda Priebe hit .500 with eight kills. Rylie Bjerklie and Ashley Crowl each hit over .450 with Bjerklie recording a .667 clip with six kills and no errors, while Crowl tallied six kills with no errors to hit .462. Emily Wade set up the offense with 32 assists. The service game was strong again with Mertz spinning in five aces. Bjerklie added three and Lauren Justesen with two. Priebe posted three blocks and Bjerklie had two solo. Justesen collected 14 digs and nine for Crowl.

BSU limited Minot State to just 19 kills to 11 errors in 70 chances to hit .114.

BSU quickly jumped out to the 5-1 lead in the first set. Priebe opened the match with a kill and after a Justesen service ace, Sitter posted a solo block to cap the run. After Minot State (2-10, 1-3 NSIC) made a run to get to within a point at 11-10, Bemidji State started to pull away. A double block by Wade and Priebe started what would be a 7-1 run to stretch the advantage to 18-11. Mertz, Priebe, Crowl and Sitter all had points during the stretch. Back-to-back Wade kills moved BSU to set point before a kill by Priebe gave Bemidji State the set at 25-20.

Bemidji State moved ahead 10-6 in the second set with Crowl posting two straight kills and a service ace by Justesen. After Minot State was back to within three at 14-11, a service error opened the door for kills by Mertz and Sitter to push the lead to 17-11. BSU kept pushing, finishing the set on an 8-2 run to claim the set at 25-13. Bemidji State reeled off the final six points of the set with Bjerklie and Sitter combining for four of the final five points to close the set.

BSU kept the momentum going into the third set quickly moving in front at 11-4. Mertz and Bjerklie collected kills before a solo block the Bjerklie closed the run. The pressure kept coming as the lead stretched to double-digits at 17-7 on a service ace by Bjerklie. Tiara Diamond and Rilee Michaelson closed the match with kills down the stretch for the 25-12 third set win and 3-0 match win.

Bemidji State will look to keep the winning streak going as they will remain at home to host Sioux Falls this coming Friday at 6 p.m. inside the BSU Gym. Sioux Falls last played this past Friday at home falling 3-0 to No. 1 Wayne State.

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)
 
Located on the shore of Lake Bemidji, Bemidji State University 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).