DULUTH, Minn. --- The Minnesota State volleyball team battled in the third set which saw a match-high 11 ties and three lead changes but fell to No. 6 Minnesota Duluth, 3-0 ( 13-25, 18-25, 25-27), Friday evening at Romano Gymnasium. 

With the loss, the Mavericks drop to 9-7 (3-5 NSIC) on the season while the Bulldogs improve to 14-2 (7-1 NSIC) overall. This week marks the fifth consecutive week that Minnesota State has faced an AVCA top-25 opponent. 

Minnesota State snatched the early 3-0 edge after two service errors and a kill from Jackie Jones. Minnesota Duluth then found its stride offensively creating a 10-5 advantage. The Bulldogs kept their foot on the gas increasing the lead into the double-digits, 18-8, following an Emily Torve service ace. The Mavericks could not slow down the Bulldogs and dropped the opening frame, 25-13. 

Both teams battled in the second stanza which saw nine ties with two lead changes. Minnesota State was able to capture a one point, 7-6, advantage after Autumn Risch set up Megan Hulscher up for the point. Minnesota Duluth pushed back to open up a 16-12 edge and force a Maverick timeout. The Bulldogs would not surrender the lead and went on to win the second set, 25-18.  

After two sets, Minnesota Duluth held the edge in kills (26-18), assists (24-17), and digs (25-20). Jones and Morgan Olson led the Mavericks with five kills each while Risch added 10 assists. 

Minnesota State retaliated in the third frame which featured a match-high 11 ties with three lead changes. The Mavericks opened up their largest lead of the night, 20-16, after a momentum swinging kill from Alivia Garbe. The Bulldogs responded to lock the frame at 21 with a Makenzie Morgan ace. Later in the set, Minnesota Duluth regained the lead, 25-24, following a Kate Berg kill. Ashton Lee answered for the Mavericks with the tying point to make the score 25-25. The Bulldogs then closed out the match with the next two points to win the frame, 27-25, and the match, 3-0.

Minnesota Duluth held the edge in kills (43-30), assists (40-27), and digs (43-39). 

Freshman Mara Quam contributed a match-best 11 digs while freshman Micayla Porter handed out a team-best 16 assists. Olson also reached double-digits in digs with 11 and added seven kills. Garbe rounded out the top performers with seven kills of her own. 

Minnesota State returns to action tomorrow at St. Cloud State. First serve is scheduled for 11:00 a.m.