SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Minot State University fell just eight points short total in three sets, but it will go down as a sweep for the University of Sioux Falls as the Cougars outlasted MSU 27-25, 25-23, 25-21 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference volleyball Saturday at the Stewart Center.
The Beavers (5-23 overall, 0-19 NSIC) couldn't get a key point in the waning moments of either set 1 or 2, pushing the Cougars to the end, but falling short in both. In set 3, the Beavers got behind before battling back.
"We had great fight tonight," said MSU head coach
Ben Kaszeta. "I was really happy with our intensity and fire tonight. We competed with a really hot Sioux Falls team that just beat (Minnesota) Duluth and Wayne (State College). Their three seniors played really well on senior night."
The Cougars (18-9, 12-7) hit .253 compared to MSU's .177. Minot State had a big jump in hitting percentage in set 3, finishing with 13 kills to just four errors, but USF matched that, hitting .417 with only four errors as well.
USF was paced by Jordan Caleg's 14 kills, while Lexi Scott added 10. Sydney Schaap set up the offense with 33 assists, while Makenna Rockeman had 10 digs, nine kills and four block assists.
The Beavers didn't have a player reach double figures in kills, but had solid balance.
Shelby Spuller and
Shae Pedersen finished with nine kills each and combined for just five errors on 38 attempts.
Janelle Nagy and
Kelsey Dewulf split time setting and both finished with 14 assists. Nagy added eight digs, five kills and three aces.
"Janelle did a great job of serving them out of system," Kaszeta said. "Shelby and Shae hit really well tonight. I thought they all stepped up well for us."
MSU finishes off the season at No. 4 ranked Southwest Minnesota State Saturday afternoon starting at 3 p.m.
About Minot State
Minot State University is a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) and NCAA Division II offering 14 men's and women's varsity intercollegiate athletics programs. The NSIC is a premier NCAA DII, 16-member conference featuring teams in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska and Iowa. The Beavers are the only public NCAA Division II institution in the state of North Dakota.
– GO BEAVERS –
