Box Score Mankato, Minn. --- The Minnesota State volleyball team earned a 3-2 win over Minnesota Crookston on Friday night at Taylor Center, improving to 12-13 overall with a mark of 7-10 in conference action.    

"Give our kids all of the credit tonight, they finished strong when it counted. The Golden Eagles kept their wits about them. I'm excited for the way we played tonight," stated head coach Dennis Amundson.  

The Mavericks fell to the Golden Eagles in the first set 25-17. Sophomore Chandra Honebrink (Waconia, Minn.), freshman Lexi Platz (Lafayette, Minn.) and junior Tiana Runck (Springfield, Minn.) each earned three kills in the set. 

In the second set, the Mavericks battled throughout to earn a 30-28 win over UMC. Honebrink led the Mavericks with eight kills on 13 attempts (.615). Runck tallied five kills for MSU, while freshman Krista Hassing (Blue Earth, Minn.) also posted five kills on five attempts in the frame. 

MSU set the tempo in the third set leading throughout and finishing 25-20 over the Golden Eagles. Honebrink led the Mavericks with five kills while sophomore Ellie Van De Steeg (Hutchinson, Minn.) recorded 15 assists in the set. 

Minnesota Crookston answered back with a 25-18 win over the Mavericks in the fourth set to tie the match 2-2. Collectively the Mavericks posted 14 kills, but committed 12 attacking errors in the set, to finish the frame with a .049 attacking percentage.   

The Mavericks went on to win 15-9, to take the match 3-2. Platz led the Mavericks with three kills in the final frame while freshman Sydney Geisness (St. Croix Falls, Wis.), Hassing and Runck each contributed two kills.  

Van De Steeg established a career-high with 72 assists, while Honebrink tied her career-high, posting 21 kills in the match, her second consecutive match with 21 kills.     

The Mavericks return to action on Saturday against the Bemidji Beavers, first serve is slated for 4 p.m.