Box Score MINOT, N.D. – The Minot State University volleyball team was unable to get off to a 2-0 start in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Friday night due to the comeback efforts of Winona State.

The Beavers held a 14-8 lead in the fifth and final set of the match but the Warriors rattled off eight straight points to win the set 16-14 and ultimately the match 3-2.

Despite the tough loss, Beavers' head coach Travis Ward was pleased with the team's effort.

"I am proud to coach these ladies," he said. "We played an excellent match against a really good team and were so close to victory we could taste it."

Minot State carried the momentum from their victory over the University of Mary earlier this week into the first set of the night as they got out to an early 1-0 lead in the match. Mallory Sall (Jr., OH, Port Coquitlam, British Columbia) paced the Beavers with six kills early on.

It was the Warriors turn in the second set as they tied the match up at one with a set score of 25-19.

After trading sets in the third and fourth sets once again, the teams headed to a fifth set where the Warriors came out victorious.

Sall finished the match leading the Beavers with 21 kills while Jen Dixon (Sr., OH, Brandon, Manitoba) finished with 18 and Tarah Dabovich (Jr., MH, Phoenix, Ariz.) recorded 14 kills.

Libero Cindy Pelo (Jr., Idaho Falls, Idaho) led the team defensively with 26 digs, while Emily Byrne (Sr., S, Reno, Nev.) did her part with 60 assists.

The Beavers are back on the road tomorrow, Sept. 20, when they face the Peacocks of Upper Iowa at 3 p.m.