Box Score MINOT, N.D. – The Minot State volleyball played some of their best volleyball of the season Saturday evening in the Minot State Dome.

However, Wayne State College was able to survive their tip north as they escaped with their 21st win of the season, beating the Beavers (12-18 overall, 7-13 NSIC) 24-26, 25-17, 25-19, 26-24.

"I thought we played two great matches this weekend," said Minot State head coach Travis Ward. "Not only did we play well but we did it against some of the best competition in the Northern Sun. It would have been nice to send our seniors out with a win and build some more excitement for the offseason but I am really happy with how we competed regardless of a win or loss."

The Beavers came out hot in set one, jumping to a 16-10 advantage. The Wildcats bounced back and made things interesting but MISU was able to pick up their second set win over a nationally ranked opponent, taking the first set 26-24.

"We saw it tonight that we are starting to do what we need to do to win close matches," said MISU junior Jen Dixon (OH, Brandon, Manitoba). "We need to be more consistent with those little things and I know we will be better at that next season."

In sets two and three Wayne State bounced back strong taking both sets while hitting .340 and .366 from the floor. In those two sets Wildcats Cori Hobbs and Elizabeth Gebhardt came up big, each notching nine kills.

With their backs against the wall, Minot State picked up the intensity in the fourth set and shutdown the Wildcat attack, limiting them to a .178 percentage. Yet the Beavers couldn't push the match to a fifth set as they committed eight hitting errors and three service errors to end their season with a fifth consecutive loss.

Offensively, four Beavers notched double-digit kills in the loss. Dixon led the Beavers with 18 kills while Lauren Dunkle (Fr., OH, Aurora, Colo.) collected 17 kills. Mallory Sall (So., OH, Port Coquitlam, British Columbia) and Kelsey Wingo (Sr., MH, Twain Harte, Calif.) added to16 kills and 10 kills in the loss.

Minot State amassed a season-high 98 digs Saturday. Dixon led the way with 26; Ashley Heavonor (So., L, Cochrane, Alberta) had 23, Dunkle made 19 while Emily Byrne (Jr., S, Reno, Nev.) had 18 digs. Byrne also had a season-high with 57 assists.

Wayne State was led by Gebhardt with 15 kills while Hobbs and Alyssa Frauendorfer each had 14 kills apiece as they Wildcats completed the weekend sweep.

Saturday's match marked the last set for two seniors, Wingo and Sara Friesen (MH, Brandon, Manitoba).