The Bemidji State University volleyball team swept St. Cloud State University Tuesday evening (25-14, 25-21, 25-9) at BSU Gymnasium. The victory was the first Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference win in 2014 for the Beavers. BSU improves to 3-9 overall and 1-3 in NSIC play, while SCSU moves to 7-5 overall and 1-3 in conference action.

BSU took an early 2-0 lead in the first set and maintained it rest the way en route to a 25-14 victory in game one. SCSU struggled offensively hitting -.053 in the frame, while BSU hit .156. Sophomore Jessica Yost (OH, Bemidji, Minn.) led BSU’s offense in the first with four kills in nine attempts with no errors (.444 attacking percentage). Defensively, Kayla DeJong (DS, Jr., Jefferson, Wis.) had seven digs in the first stanza alone to lead the Beavers’ defense.

SCSU played its best set of the night in the second. St. Cloud State tied the set early at 2-2, and it was the only time that the two teams were tied during the entire match. Following the early tie, BSU extended its lead to as many as eight points, but SCSU closed within three points of Bemidji State late in the match, 20-17. BSU, however, persevered and scored five of the next nine points to take 2-0 lead over the Huskies, 25-21.

Bemidji State cruised in the third set hitting a match-best .324 with 15 kills in 37 attempts en route to 25-9 set victory. SCSU’s woes from the first came back to bite it again in the third as it hit -.088 in the final stanza. BSU’s defense was the main reason for the Huskies’ offensive struggles in the third, as it had 20 digs in the third frame alone. DeJong again led the way for BSU with six digs in the third, while senior Courtney Volkmann (S, Wadena, Minn.) chipped in four.

Notables:

– The Beavers were dominant in the match versus St. Cloud State. BSU never trailed in the match and the two teams were only tied once the entire match.

– In the third set Bemidji State held St. Cloud State to nine points. It was just the second time this season that BSU has held an opponent in a 25-point set to single digits. The first one came against Lake Superior State University, Sept. 5.

– The sweep over the Huskies is the first time that BSU has swept a NSIC opponent since Oct. 26, 2012 versus University of Mary.

-With tonight’s victory, head coach Wayne Chadwick has 31 career wins at BSU, which ties George Stowe for fifth place on BSU’s all-time wins list.

Next up: Bemidji State looks to take its momentum it gained tonight with it this weekend as it faces University of Sioux Falls Friday and No. 7 Southwest Minnesota State University on the road. First serve for the two matches are 7 p.m. and 3 p.m., respectively.