MANKATO, Minn. – The Minnesota State volleyball team (13-3, 5-3 NSIC) downed the UMary Marauders (2-14, 0-8 NSIC) in a four-set match, 3-1, on Saturday. Senior middle blocker Kiya Durant ended with seven total blocks and nine kills while hitting .400 in the victory.
 
The Marauders jumped out to a 7-2 lead in the opening set, capped off by an ace from Maddie Cooper. After a Maverick kill, UMary extended its lead to 11-3 ; Gabby Caskey had two kills and a block assist in the quick 4-0 run. A pair of kills from Emily Kern and a block from Durant and Emma Loveall made the score 12-7 in favor of the away team.
 
After both teams traded scores, another Durant-Loveall block put the score at 20-16. The Marauders responded with a 4-0 run to force a set-point. Despite a four-point push from the Mavericks, UMary won the first set, 25-20. Minnesota State had eight attack errors in the opening set and the Marauders hit .214.
 
The Mavericks jumped out to a 4-0 lead early in the second set, however, a trio of errors for the home team brought the score back to within one. Another 4-0 run for Minnesota State put the Mavericks up 8-3; Durant had two blocks in that stretch and Madisen Miller had an ace from the service line.
 
Points were exchanged on both sides of the net, until MSU opened up set two with an 8-0 run to put the home team up 20-8, including five Marauder errors. Despite the UMary team's best effort, The Mavericks closed out the second set, 25-16, to tie the match at 1-1. MSU hit .323 and had three service aces in the second set.
 
The third set was tightly contested to start. With the score set at 6-6, Minnesota State went on a 4-0 run, thanks to a kill from Abby Wolfe and an ace from senior libero Ellie Kline. The Marauders had a few scores, but the Mavericks kept their foot on the gas with a 7-3 run to give the home team a 17-11 advantage.
 
UMary responded with a huge 7-0 run to take a one-score lead. The two teams traded points in pairs until the Mavericks took a 21-20 lead. Following a Marauder kill to tie the score, the Mavericks closed out the third set, 25-21. Loveall had a solo block, then Brooke Bolwerk had an ace, then freshman Avery Klein and Durant each had kills to end the set and give the Mavericks a 2-1 lead in the match.
 
After falling behind in the fourth set, Minnesota State took a 4-3 lead after a kill from Klein and a pair of errors from UMary. A 5-1 run for the Mavericks put the team up 10-6; Durant had a solo block, a service ace and a kill in the stretch.
 
Following a kill from Cooper, MSU jumped out to a nine-point lead after a 6-0 run which saw two kills from Loveall, as well as kills from Klein and Kern. Bolwerk also had an ace from the service line. UMary made it interesting, but in the end, the Maverick lead was too much to overcome. Minnesota State won the match with a 25-16 win in set four, ended by a kill from Loveall, who really came alive in the final set.
 
After four sets, Minnesota State hit .264 with 57 kills, served up 12 aces, which is a team-high for the season, eight blocks, 54 assists and 59 digs against UMary.
 
Durant's seven-block match ties her season high for 2024. She also finished with nine kills, four digs, a service ace and a .400 hitting percentage. Klein ended the match with 13 kills to lead the Mavericks, simultaneously tying her career-high. She ended with two blocks and a .345 hitting percentage. Toryn Richards had 12 kills, 13 digs and a service ace. Loveall had 11 kills, three aces and three total blocks.
 
Bolwerk was the team's leading setter, finishing with 32 assists. The senior setter also ended with four kills, three aces and six digs. Kline ended with two aces and 12 digs. Miller had two aces as well.
 
"We struggled in the first set but found a way to keep a strong mindset," said Minnesota State head coach, Corey Phelps. "We are a team that thrives on being the aggressor; We got better and better throughout the match about not waiting for the other team to make mistakes and playing Maverick Volleyball on the court."
 
Next week, Minnesota State plays two matches; the first game is on the road at Sioux Falls (10-6, 5-3 NSIC) on Thursday, Oct. 17 at 6 p.m. in Sioux Falls, S.D. The second is at the Taylor Center in Mankato on Saturday Oct. 19 at 2 p.m. as the Mavericks take on the No. 6 Wayne State Wildcats (17-1, 8-1 NSIC) on their home court.