The Bemidji State University volleyball team responded well to a first set deficit but fell short of a comeback in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference opening action at St. Cloud State University. The Beavers (3-6, 0-1 NSIC) will attempt to even their conference record when they host No. 7 University of Minnesota Duluth for their home opener, Saturday, September 16.
“Hats off to St. Cloud, they played a great match,” said head coach Kevin Ulmer. “It was a fun battle back and forth and really wish we could have pushed it to five sets. I thought Maddie and Jessica had a great game but ultimately were weren’t as efficient on the attack that we needed to be.”
The first set started with each team trading points and through the set’s first eight points, the score was tied 4-4. St. Cloud State started to pull away by scoring the next three points but the Beavers showed resilience and came back to tie the game back at seven. The Huskies would pull away again, however, but held just a one-point lead halfway through the set at 13-14. However, after scoring seven of the next eight points, the Huskies fired off for their largest lead of the set. The deficit would be too large for the Beavers and SCSU finished the set for the 25-16 win.
Set two started more in favor for the Beavers when BSU opened the set scoring seven of the first eight points for the early 7-1 lead. The lead wouldn’t last long when the Huskies rallied for the nest five points to pull within one. Bemidji State held the lead until St. Cloud State evened the score at 11-11but the Beavers were able retake a five-point lead after making it 18-13. BSU never lost the lead from then on but SCSU pulled within one at 22-21, but three-consecutive points off of two kills from juniors Jessica Reega and Maddie Filipiak finished the set and tied the match at one.
The third set was dominated by St. Cloud State as the Beavers couldn’t get their offense going and couldn’t find a way to stop the Huskies, losing the set 25-11. The Beavers hit just .103 during the set and totaled seven kills and four attack errors while the Huskies fired off for 16 kills and just four errors for a .353 hitting percentage.
The fourth set was a much better showing by the Beavers and locked in a tight battle late in the set. Tied 20-20, St. Cloud State jumped ahead after two straight points. After trading the two next points, freshman Becka Cronin earned back-to-back kills to tie the score again at 23-23. However, a kill and service ace by the Huskies ended the Beavers attempt at a comeback ending the set and match, 25-23.
The Beavers defended the net exceptionally well totaling a season-best 18 blocks during the match. Maddie Filipiak continued to lead the team by blocking a total of seven attacks while sophomore Julie Touchett added six blocks, Jessica Reega and Anna Averkamp each tallied four. However, the Huskies held the advantage attacking the ball with 148 attempts to just 120 for BSU and earned 21 more kills than BSU at 59-38.
Becka Cronin led the team with 10 kills on 35 attacks while Filipiak and Reega followed with eight apiece. Sophomore Emma Hallmann led BSU defensively by tallying 16 digs while Cronin and Hope Splinter each added nine.
Bemidji State continues the NSIC opening weekend by hosting No. 7 University of Minnesota Duluth, Saturday. The Beavers and Bulldogs kick off the match at 3 p.m. from the BSU Gymnasium.