ST. PAUL, Minn. ---  The Minnesota State volleyball team dropped a 3-0 (12-25, 17-25, 11-25) decision to No. 1 Concordia-St. Paul Wednesday evening at the Gangelhoff Center in front of 532 fans.

Concordia-St. Paul opened the match with a quick 6-1 run to force a Maverick time out. The Golden Bears then began to take control of the opening frame expanding their lead to 13-4. Minnesota State battled back to draw within seven, 17-10, following a Krista Hassing kill. However, Concordia-St. Paul went on to win the opening set, 25-12. 

Minnesota State fought back in the second set which featured match-high nine tie scores and seven lead changes. Both teams traded points until Minnesota State captured a 8-7 lead after a Hassing kill. Later in the set, Concordia-St. Paul stole the lead, 14-13, before going on a 4-1 run and swelling their advantage to 18-14. The Golden Bears went on to close out set two, 25-17. 

In the third and final set, Concordia-St. Paul created a early 4-1 lead. Minnesota State responded to storm back to tie the frame at seven after a Sydney Powell kill. The Golden Bears answered with a 9-2 run to build a 16-9 lead late in the frame. Concordia -St. Paul went on to cruise to a 25-11 win and win the match, 3-0.

The Golden Bears held the edge in kills (42-26), assists (41-24), and digs (52-42). 

With the loss, Minnesota State has fallen to Concordia-St. Paul the last three consecutive seasons in the opening round of the NSIC Tournament. The Golden Bears lead the all-time series, 24-4. 

Hassing led the Mavericks with a team-best 12 kills while sophomore Maddie Keute posted a team-best 16 digs. Sophomore Autumn Risch rounded out the top performers with a team-leading 23 assists.