BEMIDJI, Minn. — No. 6 Wayne State College (19-3, 12-1 NSIC) defeated Bemidji State University Volleyball (7-14, 4-9 NSIC) in straight sets, 25-15, 25-21, 25-17, on Thursday evening at BSU Gymnasium. Wayne St. hit .346 as a team, with a standout .515 hitting percentage in the final set.
 
Bemidji State opened the first set against Wayne State (NE) with a determined effort, briefly overcoming an early deficit with a 4-0 run led by kills from Lily Riese and Karley Dunham, reaching a 5-4 advantage. However, the Wildcats responded with a strong offensive push, reclaiming the lead and extending it through a series of successful plays by Chloe Hanel and Channatee Robles. Despite a late rally with contributions from Kylie Gustafson and Ava Athman, Bemidji State concluded the set trailing 25-15.
 
Bemidji St. showed resilience in the second set, with Riese and Athman contributing key kills to keep the home team competitive. Despite the early setbacks, including attack errors, Riese's consistent scoring and a late surge with Ella Kratochvil adding to the tally brought the team within striking distance. However, visiting Wayne St. capitalized on service errors and timely kills, allowing them to maintain their edge. The set concluded with the Wildcats securing a narrow 25-21 victory.
 
Bemidji St. made an early impact in the third set with Riese scoring a kill from Madison Tripp, followed by a service ace from Kylie Struble that put the team ahead 2-0. Despite these efforts, Wayne St. responded with a series of points, including a kill by Delaney Miller, leading to a 6-4 advantage. Athman's kill tied the score at 8-8, providing a brief moment of parity.
 
However, Wayne St. then executed a significant run, including multiple kills from Robles and Mattie Kamery, which extended their lead to 15-10. Bemidji St. fought back with kills from Athman and Dunham, narrowing the gap to 18-15. Ultimately, Wayne St. closed the set strong with a sequence of decisive plays, capturing the set 25-17. The game concluded with Wayne St. securing the final victory.
 
Riese led the Beavers with 11 kills on 30 attempts, contributing significantly to the offensive effort. Tripp facilitated the attack with 21 assists, distributing the ball effectively across the court. Struble provided strong service play, recording two aces without a service error. Katrina Thompson capitalized on her limited opportunities, achieving a perfect attack percentage with one kill on one attempt.
 
Bemidji St. holds a record of 7-14 overall and 4-9 in NSIC play. Wayne St. is 19-3 overall and 12-1 in NSIC play. The Beavers now look to host Augustana University Saturday afternoon for Parent's Night. Beaver Volleyball student athletes will honor their families in a special pre-match ceremony. All NSIC matches are available on the NSIC Network. 
 
For more information on the Bemidji State Volleyball program, tickets or schedules, visit BSUBeavers.com, follow the Beavers on X (@BSUBeaversVB), like them on Facebook (facebook.com/BSUBeavers) and like 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 and women's hockey membership in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association and Western Collegiate Hockey Association, while its 13 NCAA Division II programs hold membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).