ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Bemidji State University Volleyball (0-4, 0-0 NSIC) played two final matches at the Eckerd Classic, facing Puerto Rico-Mayaguez (2-1) and Eckerd College (3-0) on Saturday.
 
In the first match against Puerto Rico-Mayaguez, Bemidji State fell in a tight, five-set match with set scores of 23-25, 22-25, 25-10, 25-15, and 14-16. The Beavers started strong with a kill from Grace Hoffard, assisted by Madison Tripp. Karley Dunham and Lily Riese contributed with a crucial block, keeping the contest competitive. Nevaeh Carlson's late rally brought the Beavers to a 22-22 tie, but P.R.-Mayaguez edged ahead to take the set 25-23 with a final kill from Pamela Agosto.
 
The second set saw P.R.-Mayaguez gain an early lead, but the Beavers, led by Riese and Ava Athman, fought back. A service ace by Dunham at 6-6 and several kills helped close the gap, but late-set errors allowed P.R.-Mayaguez to clinch the set 25-22. 
 
In the third set, Bemidji State turned the momentum with a 5-0 run, thanks to contributions from Dunham and Riese, ultimately winning the set 25-19. The fourth set began with the Beavers capitalizing on a service error by P.R.-Mayaguez, extending their lead to 10-5 with consecutive aces from Athman. They maintained their momentum, closing out the set 25-15 with Riese delivering the decisive kill.
 
In the tense fifth set, the Beavers opened strong, but P.R.-Mayaguez mounted a comeback, overcoming a 14-11 deficit to win the set 16-14. Riese led the Beavers with 23 kills on a .302 hitting percentage, contributing 24 points, while Athman added 17 kills and three aces for 20 points. Struble anchored the defense with 29 digs, and Tripp facilitated the offense with 32 assists and 12 digs.
 
In their second match of the day, Bemidji State faced Eckerd College and fell in straight sets, with scores of 21-25, 21-25, and 22-25. The first set saw Eckerd establish an early lead, but the Beavers rallied to tie the score at 15-15 with key contributions from Riese and Athman. However, Eckerd's consistent attack allowed them to take the set 25-21.
 
The second set started with Bemidji taking an early lead, powered by Riese's quick kills, but Eckerd rallied, drawing even at 13-13. Despite strong play from Tripp and Carlson, Eckerd pulled ahead late, closing out the set 25-21.
 
In the third set, the Beavers took an early lead but struggled to maintain it, and despite narrowing the deficit to 23-20, Eckerd secured the set 25-22. Thompson posted a perfect attack percentage with three kills and 13 assists in the match. Athman led the team offensively with nine kills and 12 digs, while Tripp recorded 20 assists and seven digs. Carlson finished with eight kills and a .538 hitting percentage.
 
Bemidji State holds an overall record of 0-4 following the tournament. Next, the Beavers will face Roosevelt on Thursday, Sept. 11, at 5 p.m. at De Simone Arena in Kenosha, Wis.
 
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).