SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Minnesota State volleyball (13-4, 5-4 NSIC) lost to Sioux Falls (12-6, 7-3 NSIC) Thursday evening in a four-set match, 3-1. The match was the fifth-straight win for the Cougars against the Mavericks. Despite the loss, Emma Loveall had an excellent match; the graduate senior from Spirit Lake, Iowa ended with 20 kills with a .395 hitting percentage to go along with her pair of aces from the service line.
 
Minnesota State jumped out to an early 4-1 lead, as the Mavericks grabbed momentum early, but the Cougars quickly jumped back into contention, tying the set score at 6-6. Sioux Falls took an 11-8 lead, but MSU stormed back with a 5-0 run to take the lead back 13-11.
 
Both teams traded scores back-and-forth until the score rested at 17-17. The Cougars quickly went up two, but Minnesota State tied it back up and took a one-point lead. USF tied it back up, and neither squad got a real upper hand until the Mavericks went up 23-21 which allowed the away team to take the first set 26-24.
 
The Cougars responded strong after dropping the opening set, jumping out to a 6-1 start. The Mavericks went on a 6-1 run of their own to tie the score before taking a three-score lead, forcing a Cougar timeout with the score at 10-7. Out of the break, the teams swapped scores until Sioux Falls took an 19-16 lead. Minnesota State brought the deficit back to two, but the Cougars closed out the set confidently, taking set two 25-18.
 
The home team kept its momentum from the end of set two into set three, jumping out to a 4-1 lead early. The Cougars expanded their lead, but Minnesota State kept itself in it, but USF forced a Maverick timeout with the score at 14-8. Sioux Falls continued to ride the hot hand as the team went up 20-14 despite some pushes from the Mavericks.
 
Minnesota State kept chipping away, however, until they had the cut the lead to 21-17. Out of a timeout, the Mavericks brought the score to 22-20, which forced another Cougar timeout. MSU scored out of the second break, but Sioux Falls locked in and closed out set three, 25-22.
 
Set four was tightly contested to start; after 10 serves, the score was 5-5. Minnesota State took an 8-7 lead, but the Cougars went on a 7-2 run to take a 14-10 lead. MSU scored on a kill from Loveall and USF scored three more. The Mavericks made their best attempts to make it interesting the rest of the way, even bringing it back within two on an ace from Madisen Miller, but Sioux Falls' lead was too great. The Cougars won set four 25-21, which sealed the deal for Sioux Falls team, 3-1.
 
Against the Cougars, Minnesota State hit .213 for 56 kills, had 11 aces, 54 assists and 59 digs. Sioux Falls dominated the net, however, ending with 11 blocks compared to the Mavericks' four.
 
Loveall was one shy of her career-high with 20 kills in the match while hitting .395. She also had two service aces and three digs. Toryn Richards had 15 kills against the Cougars, along with an ace, a solo block and six digs. Avery Klein continued her great run of play, tying her career-best with 13 kills. The freshman from New Prague, Minn. also had three total blocks in the match and seven digs.
 
Minnesota State's leader from the service line was Ellie Kline, who ended with four aces. She also led the Mavericks with 16 digs. Brooke Bolwerk had 45 assists as the primary setter and surpassed 2,000 career assists in the fourth set.
 
"USF played well," said Mavericks head coach Corey Phelps. "We couldn't slow down their middles and struggled offensively. Our energy was good but we weren't able to step up in big moments. Loveall and Klein both played well and could have gotten them the ball more."
 
The Mavericks return to Mankato to welcome the No. 8 Wayne State Wildcats (15-3, 9-1 NSIC) to town. Minnesota State plays WSC on Saturday October 19 at 2 p.m. in the Taylor Center on the MSU campus. On Thursday evening, the Wildcats swept Augustana, 3-0.