SAN MARCOS, Calif. — Bemidji State University Volleyball continued their impressive performance at the Fall Cougar Classic, sweeping both Saint Michael's and UC Merced in dominating fashion.
In their first match against Saint Michael's, Bemidji State won 3-0 (25-15, 25-13, 25-12), hitting a season-high .425 with 40 kills and just six attack errors. The Beavers controlled the first set, leveraging a combination of timely serving and a diverse offense to pull away.
Ava Athman was pivotal, contributing a kill and back-to-back service aces to help push the team ahead 9-5. With kills from
Ella Kratochvil and
Grace Hoffard, along with consecutive aces from
Anna Paquette, Bemidji State extended their lead to 13-7.
Nevaeh Carlson added two kills to increase the margin to 18-10, and late kills from
Madison Tripp and Hoffard sealed the set at 25-15.
The second set saw Bemidji State break open the game with a 6-0 run after Saint Michael's closed to 14-12.
Kayla Gallagher's service stretch, which included an
Isabella Vander Velden kill and a Gallagher ace, helped the Beavers surge ahead to 20-12. They finished strong with five unanswered points, capped by a block from Athman and Hoffard, winning the set 25-13.
In the third set, Bemidji State turned a tight 9-8 match into a commanding 19-8 lead with a 10-0 run, powered by Tripp's serving. Athman led the charge with three kills, and a final kill from Kratochvil wrapped up a 25-12 set win. Athman led the Beavers with 14 kills, four service aces, and 18.5 points, while Tripp tallied 21 assists and seven digs.
Following this victory, Bemidji State faced UC Merced and secured another 3-0 win (25-15, 25-12, 25-12) while hitting .356 and achieving a season-high 13 service aces. The Beavers jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first set, with
Nevaeh Carlson contributing five kills.
Madison Tripp opened the match with a service ace, and multiple players added kills, keeping UC Merced at bay. The set concluded with Carlson scoring two of the final three points, including the match-ending kill from Tripp.
In the second set, Bemidji State turned a close match into a solid 25-12 win, highlighted by
Kayla Gallagher's four consecutive service aces, achieving a career-high of six aces overall. Early kills from Carlson and Kratochvil helped the Beavers maintain their lead, and Gallagher's serving propelled them to 19-10 before closing the set.
The third set featured a 6-0 run from 12-8 to 18-8, initiated by a Vander Velden kill and bolstered by three service aces from Tripp. Athman and Kratochvil kept the momentum going, with Kratochvil finishing the match with an impressive attack percentage of .455. Gallagher led with six aces and four digs, while Tripp recorded 29 assists and surpassed 250 digs for the season.
With these victories, Bemidji State improves to 7-0 overall, marking the best start to a career for a head coach in both the NAIA and Division II eras under head coach
Hahni Johnson.
Up next, Bemidji State will face the University of Minnesota Crookston to conclude the Fall Cougar Classic on Saturday at 11 a.m. CST.
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).
