Mankato, Minn. -  The Minnesota State volleyball team took down #8 Minnesota Duluth in four sets on Friday night at Taylor Center. The Mavericks defeated the Bulldogs by scores of 25-14, 16-25, 25-21 and 27-25. Six Mavericks collected five or more kills in the upset victory.

With the win, MSU improves its overall record to 13-8 and 7-6 in NSIC play.

In frame one, the Mavericks had control over the Bulldogs throughout the whole set. MSU built a comfortable 11-6 lead over the Bulldogs, thanks in part to sophomore Vikolia Meade [Solon, Iowa] tallying three kills in that span. After a UMD timeout, MSU kept extending its lead to finish out set one, as the Mavericks posted a dominating 25-14 score over the Bulldogs.

Along with Meade's three kills, juniors Sydney Geisness [St. Croix Falls, Wis.] and Lexi Platz [Lafayette, Minn.], as well as freshman Nevena Vukomanovich [Maplewood, Minn.] each recorded two kills in set one.

In set two it was a different story for MSU, as UMD built a commanding 10-3 lead, which forced the Mavericks to take a timeout. Coming out of the timeout, the Mavericks were able to cut into the Bulldogs lead, as at one point the lead was down to three, 14-11. However, the Bulldogs regained their control in set two and finished the set on 11-5 run, as UMD took set two 25-16.

The Mavericks posted just a .135 attack percentage in set two, while the Bulldogs mustered off a .286 attack percentage.

In set three the Mavericks regained its control in the match by taking a 11-6 lead over the Bulldogs. The Mavericks sustained their lead throughout the rest of the set, as the Purple and Gold took set three 25-21.

Junior Krista Hassing [Blue Earth, Minn.] and Geisness led the Mavericks offensive attack in the set as each one posted five kills, and recorded a .667 and a .714 attack percentage, respectively.

In the fourth and final set it was a back and forth affair between both teams as there was 19 lead changes and 17 ties in the set. Late in the set, the Mavericks were leading late, 23-21, that forced a Bulldogs timeout. Right after the timeout, UMD answered right back with two straight points of its own to tie the set up at 23-23. MSU went on to call a timeout of its own and both teams would trade point-for-point to keep the set tied at 25-25. In the end, MSU prevailed and took the last two points of the set to take the fourth set at 27-25 over the Bulldogs.

In set four Platz, Geisness and junior Courtney Anderson [Tripoli, Iowa] each tallied three kills in the final set, while freshman setter Autumn Risch [Howards Grove, Wis.] collected 13 assists.

Overall Platz and Geisness paced MSU's offensive attack with 11 kills each, while Hassing pitched in with nine kills and a match-high four blocks in the match. Anderson and Meade each added six kills of their own, while Vukomanovich tallied five kills to her stat line. 

Risch finished the match with 41 assists, four digs and three kills, while junior Haley Fogarty [Belle Plaine, Minn.] posted a team-high 17 digs. Freshman Maddie Keute [Grand Rapids, Minn.] finished one shy of tying her career-high with 13 digs in the win.

The Mavericks will look for win number two this weekend, as they will return to action on Saturday. MSU will play host to St. Cloud State. First serve is slated for 4:00 p.m.