BEMIDJI, Minn. — Bemidji State fell for the first time this season to (RV) University of Jamestown 3-1 in the Beavers' home opener.
Bemidji State produced more kills than Jamestown, 58-46, and finished slightly ahead in hitting percentage, .153 to .149, but also committed 27 attack errors while Jamestown had 17. The Beavers held a 114-100 advantage in digs, with
Ava Boelter recording 35, while the Jimmies finished with 10 total blocks to Bemidji State's seven and seven service aces to Bemidji State's six.
Bemidji State's early 8-1 lead did not hold as Jamestown worked back into the first set and finished off a 26-24 opener.
Ava Athman had a service ace during the opening surge, and
Ella Kratochvil repeatedly answered late, including kills that brought BSU even at 22-22 and 24-24. UJ scored the final two points to take the set.
BSU built a 5-1 lead early in the second set, with
Grace Hoffard contributing a block,
Nevaeh Carlson adding a kill and Boelter serving consecutive aces. Athman finished with four kills and later served an ace to make it 23-17, and Kratochvil closed the set with a kill from
Madison Tripp for a 25-18 BSU win.
In the third, the Beavers turned a 24-22 deficit into a 25-24 lead on consecutive Hoffard kills and a Kratochvil kill. The Jimmies answered with the final three points, including a Beaver service error and attack error before the closing kill, to take the set 27-25.
Bemidji State erased an 8-1 deficit and moved ahead 14-13 on a Carlson kill set by Tripp in the final set. Kratochvil gave the Beavers late points with three kills, including finishes that tied the set at 22-22 and 23-23. Jamestown scored the final two points to take the fourth 25-23.
Boelter achieved a career-high total of 35 digs and reached the milestone of 250 career digs, and added four assists and two service aces. Tripp achieved a career-high total of 51 set assists and crossed the 1,000 set assists milestone, now totaling 1,030. Athman recorded 15 kills, 11 digs, two aces and 18.5 points. Kratochvil added a team-high 16 kills and 16.0 points.
Bemidji State and Jamestown are both 10-1 overall while UJ takes BSU's spot at the top of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference leaderboard with a 3-0 conference record versus BSU's 2-1.
Up next, Bemidji State hosts Northern State University on Saturday, Sept. 19, at 2 p.m. at BSU Gymnasium in Bemidji, Minn.
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).
