MINOT, N.D. – The Minot State women's basketball team registered their first Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference weekend sweep of the season after defeating Minnesota Duluth 71-67 on Sunday afternoon in the Minot State Dome.

The Beavers improve to 6-6 (3-5 NSIC) on the season while the Bulldogs fall to 7-4 (4-3 NSIC).

Minot State raced out to a 15-6 lead to start the game before UMD trimmed the Minot State lead to 21-19 after the first quarter.

The Bulldogs took their first lead of the game at 32-31 with 1:35 remaining in the second quarter before the Beavers reeled off four consecutive points to take a 35-32 lead at halftime.

Minot State and UMD went back and forth in the third quarter with both teams each scoring 15, as the Beavers took a 50-47 lead going into the fourth quarter.

UMD took a 54-53 lead with 7:33 left in the game before Minot State scored five consecutive points off a layup from Holly Johnson and an old-fashioned three point play from Madison Wald.

The Bulldogs responded with a 12-5 run to take a 66-63 lead over Minot State before Johnson knocked in two free throws and a Kristal Flowers layup gave the Beavers a 67-66 lead with 50 seconds remaining.

UMD scored one more point and Kari Clements and Wald converted two free throws apiece, giving Minot State the 71-67 victory over the Bulldogs.

Johnson carried the Beavers with a season-high 26 points while shooting a perfect 6-6 from the free throw line and grabbing six rebounds.

Flowers notched her fourth double-double of the season, scoring 10 points and grabbing a game-high 14 rebounds.

Wald scored in double-figures for the sixth time this season with 16 points and posted a career-high rebounds.

Minot State registered a 47.2 percent to 39.7 percent advantage in shooting over the Bulldogs while assisting on 13 of 25 field goals and shooting 16 of 19 from the free throw line.

The Beavers finished with a dominant 42-28 margin in rebounding over UMD and outscored the Bulldogs 34-20 in the paint.

Minot State returns to the court next weekend, as they travel to Moorhead, Minn. to take on Minnesota State Moorhead on Friday, Jan. 5 at 6 p.m. before traveling to Aberdeen, S.D. to face Northern State on Saturday, Jan. 6 at 4 p.m.