FAIRBANKS, Alaska – The Minnesota State volleyball team lost its match to Alaska Anchorage 3-0, with set scores of 22-25, 23-25 and 14-25 on Friday. Minnesota State totaled 35 kills and hit .137, compared with 43 kills and a .360 hitting percentage for Alaska Anchorage.
Jadyn Lester finished with 30 assists, five service aces, four digs and one block assist.
Addison Foor led Minnesota State with nine kills on 24 attacks.
Savannah Meyer recorded 14 digs and added one service ace.
Avery Rosenberg posted seven kills while hitting .400.
Set One
Minnesota State put itself in position in the first set with a seven-point run, turning a 15-12 Alaska Anchorage lead into a 19-15 advantage. The Mavericks started quickly as Foor opened with a kill from Lester and added another kill for a 3-1 lead, while kills by
Avery Klein,
Lily Riese and
Olivia Sturgis, plus Meyer's ace, were part of a 10-6 start.
Alaska Anchorage answered after Minnesota State led 12-10, scoring five straight to move in front 15-12. Riese's kill stopped that stretch, and
Morgan Bjella followed with an ace during six consecutive Minnesota State service points that also included two Sturgis kills and another Riese kill. MSU later led 22-19 after kills by Sturgis and Rosenberg, but Alaska Anchorage scored the final six points and took the set 25-22.
Set Two
A 21-16 lead in the second set also put the Mavericks in position, but Alaska Anchorage answered with five straight points and eventually took the set 25-23. Lester served back-to-back aces as Minnesota State moved from 11-10 down to a 13-11 lead.
After Alaska Anchorage drew even at 16-16, Klein's kill put Minnesota State back in front, and Bjella served the visitors through four consecutive points, including a block by Lester and Sturgis and a Bjella ace, for the 21-16 advantage. Alaska Anchorage tied the set at 21-21, and although Riese put the Mavericks ahead 22-21 and Foor tied it at 23-23, Alaska Anchorage scored the final two points to close the set.
Set Three
The third set had MSU within 16-12 before Alaska Anchorage scored seven consecutive points, moving the score to 23-12 and leaving Minnesota State to play from a double-digit deficit. Lester opened the set with back-to-back service aces, and her assists to Rosenberg and
Avery Klein helped Minnesota State build early leads of 3-1, 4-2 and 6-4.
After Alaska Anchorage moved in front 7-6, Riese's kill tied the set at 7-7, and Minnesota State later answered a 12-8 deficit with an opposing error and consecutive Rosenberg kills to get within 12-11. The Seawolves responded with service aces and kills to regain separation, while
Kyla Klein supplied the Mavericks last kill before the home team closed the set 25-14.
Up next, Minnesota State will face the host, Alaska Fairbanks today at 10 p.m. CT
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