MINOT, N.D. – Minot State University fought all the way back to match point in game 5, but couldn't not complete the comeback as the University of Mary held off the Beavers 3-2 in nonconference women's volleyball Tuesday at the MSU Dome.

The Beavers stumbled out to a 2-0 deficit and Mary took game 1 25-20 and game 2 25-14. But after the 10-minute intermission, MSU earned a 26-24 win in game 3. The Beavers kept holding off Mary, winning game 4 25-22 before the Marauders finished off a 17-15 game 5 win.

“Effort,” said MSU head coach Johnna Torr when asked the different between games 1 and 2 and games 3, 4 and 5. “We had some of the players working hard on each play, but not all of them. We seemed to have one or two players on every point look a step slow.”

Mary took advantage, especially in game 2 where they blew out the Beavers.

But MSU found some renewed energy after the break.

“It is difficult to keep coming back, especially in a game that wasn't a conference game and with tomorrow (against Dickinson State) and the playoffs this weekend,” Torr said. “It was hard to keep our focus.”

MSU controlled much of the latter portion of game 5 and pushed to 14-13. But Mary did not go away and scored four of the final five points in the game.

“We feel pretty good about how things went overall,” Torr said. “We wouldn't have thought that if the end was the same as the start, but I think we built some confidense heading into the Dickinson match.”

MSU got a team-high 16 kills from freshman Jen Dixon (OH, Brandon, Manitoba) and 13 kills and a block from Janice Rose Reinbolt (Jr., MH, Maple Creek, Saskatchewan). Senior Shari Dueck (RS, Prince Albert, Saskatchewan) and freshman Annie Assel (MH, Bismarck, N.D.) finsihed with 11 kills each. Assell also had a block and made just two errors in 25 total attacks.

“Annie is so coachable that she is going to work on whatever we want her to work on,” said Torr. “She is a perfectionist and isn't going to stop until she gets it right. She has done a great job for us.”

Sophomore Abbey Aide (Setter, Bottineau, N.D.) finished with 57 assists and had two kills and six digs. Jenna Moffatt (Fr., Libero, Brandon, Manitoba) paced the Beavers with 13 digs, while Dixon and Jennifer Yausie (So., OH, Colonsay, Saskatchewan) finsihed with 13 apiece.

The Beavers travel to Dickinson State Wednesday for the final Dakota Athletic Conference match of the season. MSU had locked up third place in the conference and is guarteneed at least one match in the DAC playoffs, beginning Saturday. The pairings will be announced Thursday morning.