Mavericks Fall In Thrilling Match Against #7 Southwest Minnesota State
Minnesota State owns a 1-10 record  
 
Mankato, Minn. – The Minnesota State volleyball team hosted #7 Southwest Minnesota State in its home opener Friday evening and fell 3-2 (23-25, 25-12, 25-16, 25-27 and 15-3).
 
Minnesota State owns a 1-10 record to start the season. 
 
Junior Sophie Tietz led the Maverick offense with 11 kills. Senior Brenna Hesse led the team with 13 digs, while sophomore Broke Bolwerk passed out 24 assists. Sophomore Kiya Durant led the team with five blocks followed closely by junior Makayla Snow and freshman Ellie Kline with four.
 
Southwest Minnesota State's Meg Schmidt led all attackers with 15 kills. Alisa Bengen passed out a match-high of 53 assists, while McKenzie Tolk posted 26 digs. 

In the first set the lead changed seven times and the biggest lead was by three points for the Mavericks at 5-2. The Mavericks would close a tight first set with a kill from Loveall and an attack error from SMSU to finish 25-23.

Minnesota State started the second set close with back and forth kills to be down by one point 7-6. SMSU put together a seven-point run to increase its lead to 15-8. The Mustangs would win 10 of the last 14 points to claim the second set 25-12.

In the third set, the Mustangs got an early three-point lead by 7-4, before the Mavericks closed the gap by claiming the next two points to be 7-6 down. The Mustangs went on a 6-1 point run to put the score at 13-7. Minnesota State fought back winning five out of eight points to put the score at 16-12, but SMSU would finish the set on a 9-4 run to win the third set 25-16. 

In the fourth set the Mavericks set the tone from the beginning and went on an 8-2 run. The Mustangs fought back and cut the Maverick lead to two at 9-7. Two service aces and kills helped MSU win five points in a row to go up 14-7. SMSU managed to take the lead at 21-20 after putting together a 14-6 run. The lead continued to change hands until both teams were tied 25-25. Two attack errors from SMSU would give the Mavericks the fourth set at 27-25.

In the final set, the Mustangs never trailed as they led early on by doing a 4-0 point run. The Mavericks got the next two points to bring the score to 4-2, but the Mustangs ended the set on an 11-1 run to claim the fifth set 15-3 and the match.

 
"I loved the fight we have tonight," head coach Corey Phelps said. "SMSU is a very good team, and we went swing for swing most of the night. We will keep working on our discipline and continue to take steps in the right direction".
 
 
The Mavericks, who stand a 1-10 record for the season, continue NSIC play tomorrow at 2:00 p.m., against Sioux Falls in Taylor Center.
 
 
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