BIG RAPIDS, Mich. — Minnesota State (1-3) suffered a 3-0 defeat against Ferris State (4-0) on Saturday afternoon at Bulldog Arena. The set scores were 25-22, 25-13, and 25-14, with Ferris State maintaining a strong attack percentage of .432 throughout the match.
"I'm proud of the progress we made in a short time," Head Coach
Corey Phelps said. "From our first match today, we got a lot better. Ferris State is probably one of the top six or seven teams in the country in my opinion. We did some very good things in this match that we'll continue to build on.
Jadyn Lester navigated the team very well all weekend. Our middles,
Avery Rosenberg and
Olivia Sturgis, carried most of the offensive weight throughout the weekend and were a force on the block.
Avery Klein was super steady and reliable as always and our outside hitters Addy Foor and
Lily Riese are going to surprise people all season. I'm excited about the potential we have moving forward."
Lily Riese led the Mavericks with seven kills on 16 attempts, finishing with a .375 hitting percentage
. Jadyn Lester contributed significantly, recording 16 assists and adding three kills without an error for a perfect 1.000 hitting percentage.
Avery Rosenberg added five kills and three total blocks, while
Avery Klein served up one ace and tallied four digs.
Minnesota State began the opening set with a competitive edge, responding to Ferris State's early three-point lead with consistent play. Klein and
Olivia Sturgis each contributed key kills, helping the Mavericks close the gap to 8-6.
Despite trailing, Minnesota State capitalized on errors from the Bulldogs, narrowing the score to 10-8 with a block from Rosenberg and
Addison Foor. A service ace by
Morgan Bjella later brought the score to 10-9, maintaining the visitors' momentum.
Ferris State, however, regained control, extending its lead to 15-12. The Mavericks battled back with timely plays, including a service ace from Lester and a kill from Rosenberg, pulling within two points at 21-19.
The set concluded with Ferris State managing to hold off Minnesota State's late charge, taking the set 25-22.
Minnesota State opened the second set with a kill by Rosenberg, setting the tone early. Rosenberg continued to contribute offensively with another kill, while Lester's service set up a series of key plays. Despite these efforts, Ferris State responded effectively, capitalizing on some errors and a service ace by Corrie Wisser to take a lead.
Midway through the set, Riese and Klein made notable impacts with a kill and a service ace, respectively, helping to keep the Mavericks close. However, Ferris State maintained momentum with a series of successful attacks, including multiple kills by Gabby Piazza and Emily May. The set closed as Minnesota State's final points came from Riese and Klein, but Ferris State secured the set with a score of 25-13.
Minnesota State initiated the third set with Riese delivering a critical kill, temporarily halting Ferris State's early surge. However, Ferris State responded with a series of offensive plays, extending its lead to 6-1. The Mavericks regrouped as Sturgis and Foor each contributed key points, narrowing the gap to 7-4.
Despite the efforts by Minnesota State, including a block from Lester and
Ellie Voth, Ferris State maintained its momentum, widening the margin to 14-5. Bjella sparked a brief rally with a block, helping Minnesota State close within 14-9. However, Ferris State capitalized on the Mavericks' service errors and sustained their scoring run.
As the set progressed, Minnesota State's defensive plays, including blocks by Voth and Foor, attempted to stymie Ferris State's advances. Yet, Ferris State secured the final points, closing the set with a 25-14 finish.
Looking ahead, the Mavericks will face Fresno Pacific on Thursday, Sept. 3, at 5:30 p.m. at Alaska Airlines Gymnasium in Fairbanks, Alaska.
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