MINOT, N.D. – Minot State University couldn't quite put Dickinson State away.

The Beavers built a double digit lead late in the first half and pushed it to as many as 14 multiple times but ultimately settled for a 69-61 win over the Blue Hawks Saturday at the MSU Dome.

"I think right now we're looking to improve game-by-game," said MSU head coach Sheila Green Gerding. "Last night I wasn't happy at all with our effort. I thought tonight we played a lot harder. We ran into a zone which we haven't seen yet this season so I'm really happy with most parts of our execution."

MSU (2-0 overall) held Dickinson State to just 30.8 percent from the field and held a big 47-38 advantage on the board, but shot just 40.7 percent on the offensive end, keeping the Blue Hawks in the game.

"I think defensively we've got to get better – just play harder and really, honestly, a lot of it comes down to our communication," Green Gerding said. "We're just a team that's not talking and we've got to do a better job of that."

The game wasn't in doubt much of the way as Dickinson State led just one time, a one-point advantage three minutes into the contest, but DISU cut the Beavers' lead from 14 points after a Morgan Klose (Sr., G, Fairview, N.D.) jumper with 5:10 to play, to a two-possession game at 67-61 on a layup by Jaidah Richardson with 39 seconds to go.

MSU iced it down the stretch as Kaite Hardy (Sr., F, Fairview, N.D.) knocked down two free throws and the Beavers forced a wild shot late.

Hailee Farstveet paced DSU (0-5 overall) with 16 points, six rebounds and five assists. Megan Klein and Ashley Bentz scored 12 points apiece and Bentz led the Blue Hawks with 11 rebounds and added four assists in the loss.

Minot State had three in double figures and four more with seven or more points. Hardy led MSU for the second straight night with 14 points and added four rebounds and two assists. Klose and Diondra Denton (So., G, Great Falls, Mont.) chipped in with 10 points apiece. Sarah Lester (Jr., G, Fairview, Mont.), Morgan Hunter (So., G, Invercargill, New Zealand) and Alex Haley (So., G, Libertyville, Ill.) scored eight points each, while Savana Kingsbury (Jr., F, Omaha, Neb.) had a career-high 14 rebounds to go along with seven points for MSU.

"Morgan Klose kind of took over the point. We're trying to get some leadership from that position and somebody to kind of run the show and be the coach on the court," Green Gerding said. "I think she made strides with that tonight."

The Beavers will travel this week as they fly to Hawaii for a pair of NCAA DII games against Brigham Young-Hawaii Tuesday (10 p.m.) and University of Hawaii at Hilo Wednesday (11 p.m.).