CROOKSTON, Minn. – Minnesota State volleyball (18-8, 10-8 NSIC) won Saturday afternoon in its match against Minnesota Crookston (7-19, 4-14 NSIC), 3-1. The Mavericks closed out the match with a dominant fourth set after the Golden Eagles snuck away with set three. Seniors Emma Loveall and Kiya Durant led the team with 14 and 13 kills, respectively, and a trio of solo blocks between the two. With the win, Minnesota State advances to the NSIC Tournament for the first time since 2018.
 
The Golden Eagles jumped out to a 3-0 start to the match and a kill from Klein got the Mavericks on the board. Durant had a kill to make the score 5-3 and a few points later, she connected with senior setter Brooke Bolwerk again to tie the score at 6-6. Minnesota Crookston went up by two on a kill and a service ace, then the two teams traded possession back-and-forth until the score was 12-10 in favor of the home team. Minnesota State took a 15-13 lead in the opening set on a 5-1 run thanks to two kills from Klein, and one from both Durant and Bolwerk. Following several errors, Loveall blocked a shot at the net to put Minnesota State up 18-15. The Mavericks scored on a pair of service errors and an attack error from Minnesota Crookston, which forced the home team to take a timeout with MSU up 21-17 in the first set.
 
Out of the break, two attack errors from UMC put the Mavericks two points away from victory in the set. Klein and Richards each had kills to close out the opening set, 25-20.
 
Kaci Beesecker had a service ace and Klein had a block in the early goings of the second set to put Minnesota State up 6-1. A solo block from Emily Kern started a 7-1 run for the Mavericks that finished with three consecutive service aces from Klein to put the team up 13-3. A pair of kills Toryn Richards and Durant put the Mavericks up 15-5 and forced the Golden Eagles to call their second timeout of the set. Minnesota State was able to take set two thanks to its large lead, but not easily; Minnesota Crookston outscored the Mavericks 15-10 the rest of the set, but MSU went up 2-0 after a 25-20 win.
 
Minnesota Crookston started set three up 7-3. Three-straight scores from the Mavericks made it a one-score game, but the Golden Eagles went on a 3-0 run of their own to go up 11-7. Minnesota State attempted to get cut into the deficit, but four unanswered points from UMC put the home team up 18-12. Following some back-and-forth, a kill from Bolwerk started a 5-0 run for the Mavericks to cut it to one thanks to a kill from Richards, 20-19.
 
Two kills from the Golden Eagles were responded to with a pair of kills from Durant and Kern to keep it a one-score game. Another kill from Bolwerk tied the score and an ace from freshman Jadyn Lester put the Mavericks up by one. Minnesota Crookston had an attack hit the floor to tie the game, but a kill from Loveall forced a match-point and forced the home team to call a timeout. The Mavericks had an attack error out of the break to knot it back up, but a solo block from Loveall put MSU up 25-24. The score was tied again after a service error, but Klein put Minnesota State up with a kill. Minnesota Crookston mustered three straight points to end the set and force a fourth, 28-26.
 
After the Golden Eagles jumped out to a 3-1 lead early in the fourth set, a kill from Loveall and an attack error tied up the score. The two teams swapped service several times until another Loveall kill tied the score again at 11-11. This point started a 6-0 swing for the Mavericks and allowed the team to take a 16-11 lead. Kern had two kills and a solo block in the stretch. Kills from Kern and Durant pushed the score to 20-13 and the Mavericks closed out the set and the match with an 8-1 run to take set four 25-14.
 
Minnesota State ended with 55 kills and a .248 hitting percentage, 52 assists, 86 digs, six service aces and eight blocks at the net.
 
Loveall ended the match with 14 kills to lead the team. She had a hitting percentage of .351 in the match and had seven digs and two solo blocks. Durant ended with 13 kills and a .310 hit percentage. She ended with a solo block.
 
Klein tallied 10 kills, three service aces, 12 digs and three service aces for the Mavericks. Kern had three solo blocks at the net and five kills.
 
Junior libero Ellie Kline led the Minnesota State team with 27 digs in the match against Minnesota Crookston. Bolwerk ended with four kills and a solo block to go along with her 46 assists and 11 digs. Beesecker had 14 digs in the match, as well.
 
"We served aggressively the whole match," said Minnesota State head coach Corey Phelps. "There are things we still have yet to work on, but I am so proud of this team for their work and growth throughout the season. Now we start with a blank slate. In the NSIC Tournament, anything can happen. We just have to go in and stay true to ourselves and enjoy the ride."
 
The Mavericks, with 10 conference wins, will play in the NSIC Tournament for the first time since 2018. Minnesota State will take on one of its conference opponents in postseason tournament play on Tuesday, November 19. More details to be announced.