BEMIDJI, Minn. — Bemidji State University Volleyball (16-8, 8-8 NSIC) defeated the University of Minnesota Crookston (3-21, 1-15 NSIC) 3-2 Tuesday, going 21-25, 22-25, 25-22, 25-22, 16-14 in the five-set match. Bemidji State trailed 10-14 in the fifth set before moving in front and finishing the match at 16-14.
Bemidji State closed the match by scoring the final six points of the fifth set, turning a 10-14 deficit into a 16-14 set win. Across the full match, BSU hit .218 to UMC's .209 while committing fewer attack errors, 20 to 25, even as UMC finished with more kills, service aces and total blocks.
The Beavers could not overcome the Golden Eagles' separation in the first set, falling behind 20-12 before making a late push in a 25-21 loss.
Isabella Vander Velden put down consecutive kills and
Madison Tripp followed with one as Bemidji State scored three straight points to move to 20-15, and
Ava Athman later brought Bemidji State within 22-19 with a kill. Minnesota Crookston closed the set from there, though Athman added another kill and a service error gave BSU its final point at 24-21.
BSU moved in front 11-9 in the second set on a
Nevaeh Carlson kill and Tripp service ace, but UMC answered with nine straight points to put the Beavers down 18-11. BSU made a late push from 24-19, getting a Vander Velden kill and a
Grace Hoffard block before UMC closed the set, 25-22.
Bemidji State answered a 21-19 deficit by winning six of the final seven points to take the third set, 25-22. Athman had back-to-back kills to tie it at 21-21, and
Kayla Gallagher finished the set with a kill from Tripp.
Bemidji State turned a 19-16 deficit into a 21-20 edge in the fourth set, getting two
Kylie Gustafson kills and an
Ava Boelter service ace during the response. After Minnesota Crookston tied it at 22, Bemidji State scored the final three points, with Vander Velden recording a kill and Hoffard finishing the set from Tripp for a 25-22 win.
BSU erased a 14-10 deficit by scoring the final six points to take the fifth set 16-14. The closing stretch included kills by Gallagher and Athman, a block by Athman and Vander Velden, and
Anna Paquette's service ace for the final point.
Athman led the Beavers with 16 kills and 17.5 points while adding four digs and two blocks. Tripp finished with 38 assists, 12 digs and two service aces. Boelter recorded a team-high 23 digs and added seven assists. Gallagher posted 16 digs and seven kills.
Bemidji State is 16-8 overall and 8-8 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play. Minnesota Crookston is 3-21 overall and 1-15 in NSIC play. Up next, Bemidji State travels to Aberdeen, S.D., to face Northern State University on Friday, Oct. 30, at 6 p.m. This weekend's road trip has high playoff implications for BSU as wins over NSU and University of Jamestown could set the Beavers up for a spot in the NSIC tournament.
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).
