DULUTH, Minn. – The Minnesota State volleyball team (7-11, 5-5 NSIC) defeated No. 14 Minnesota Duluth (16-2, 9-1 NSIC) 3-1 on Friday at Romano Gymnasium. The Mavericks recovered from a 26-24 opening-set loss and won the next three sets 25-22, 25-19 and 28-26, taking the lead in the fourth set after trailing by three.
"Gritty battle tonight against a legit team," said Head
Coach Corey Phelps. "The composure and conviction we played with tonight was fun to see. Our serving and passing were on point and we worked through some big runs on their side. Handing UMD their first conference loss is a fantastic step in the right direction for our battle-tested squad. Another big match tomorrow morning after a quick turnaround."
Avery Klein led Minnesota State with 13 kills and 15.5 points, adding nine digs, three blocks and one service ace. Klein has recorded at least 13 kills in three consecutive matches.
Jadyn Lester recorded 34 assists, four service aces, seven digs and five total blocks. Lester recorded a career-high 11.5 points and has posted at least 34 set assists in three consecutive matches.
Morgan Bjella has achieved at least three service aces in two consecutive matches.
Olivia Sturgis finished with nine kills on a .429 hitting percentage and a team-high six blocks.
Avery Rosenberg added seven kills while hitting .313 and collected four blocks.
SET ONE
Minnesota State scored the first three points of the opening set, with Sturgis contributing a block, and later stretched the lead to 12-6 on
Kyla Klein's service ace. Kills from Lester, Sturgis, Klein and Rosenberg helped MSU keep separation through 18-14, but UMD used a Kenzie Kiminski kill and Georgia Koscielak ace during a three-point push to get within 18-17. Minnesota Duluth tied it at 20-20, but
Addison Foor's kill, Bjella's ace and Lester's block on a Madeline Guetzkow attack put Minnesota State back in front 23-20. UMD answered with four straight points to take a 24-23 lead, Sturgis tied the set with a kill, and Elyse Karrels and Paige Decker closed it with kills as Minnesota Duluth took the set 26-24.
SET TWO
After an early exchange left the set tied 4-4, the Bulldogs scored three straight and later used kills by Kiminski and Karrels followed by consecutive Ava Jones aces to put Minnesota State down 13-7. The Mavericks cut into the margin with kills from
Lily Riese and Rosenberg, and after a Minn. Duluth point, a service error,
Addison Foor kill and a Lester-Sturgis block tied the set at 18-18. Minnesota State moved in front 21-19 on consecutive Sturgis kills and a Brietta Tims attack error, but UMD answered with a Guetzkow kill and a Xada Johnson kill to tie it 21-21. After service errors left the Mavericks ahead 23-22,
Kaelyn Wieland served an ace for set point and Rosenberg and Riese teamed on the block that closed the set, 25-22.
SET THREE
Minnesota State started the third set with consecutive block-assisted points from Klein and Sturgis as part of a 3-0 opening, but Minnesota Duluth scored the next four points to go ahead 4-3. After ties at 4-4, 5-5 and 6-6, a UMD attack error and a Lester kill put the Mavericks up 8-6, and Rosenberg's kill, Bjella's ace and a block by Sturgis and Lester helped stretch the lead to 12-8. UMD got back within 12-11 on kills by Jones, Guetzkow and Johnson, but Minnesota State pushed the margin back to 15-11 with a service error, a Lester ace and a Sturgis kill. After the Bulldogs pulled within 17-15, the Mavericks took four of the next five points, including two Riese kills and a
Kyla Klein ace for a 21-16 lead, then closed the set 25-19 on a UMD service error.
SET FOUR
Minnesota State moved in front 3-1 on consecutive Lester service aces and later led 8-5 after a Klein-Rosenberg block and a Bulldog attack error. Minnesota Duluth came back with a four-point stretch that included two Guetzkow aces to go ahead 9-8, then built a 13-10 lead before the Mavericks scored five straight on Bjella's serve for a 15-13 edge. The Bulldogs answered with five straight points to lead 18-15, but Minnesota State worked back to 21-21 on Rosenberg kill and went ahead 22-21 on a Klein ace. The Mavericks answered UMD points at 24-23, 25-24 and 26-25 with kills by Lester, Foor and Klein, then moved in front on Sturgis' block and closed the set 28-26 on a Bulldog attack error.
Up next, the Minnesota State volleyball team visits Bemidji State on Saturday, Oct. 10, at 11 a.m. at BSU Gymnasium in Bemidji, Minn.
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