Oct. 24, 2009

BEMIDJI, Minn. -- The Bemidji State University volleyball team lost 3-0 (18-25, 20-25, 17-25) to No. t-11 University of Minnesota Duluth, Saturday afternoon at BSU Gymnasium in a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference match. The Beavers committed too many unforced errors and failed to take advantage of mediocre play by the Bulldogs.

BSU (9-15, 6-7 NSIC) hit only .048 in the match, its lowest attacking percentage of the season. The Beavers missed an opportunity in an upset, as UMD hit just .190, its second lowest attacking percentage of the season. BSU also added five service errors and each team committed two ball handling errors.

The first set was close early as BSU was down 10-12 after a service ace from freshman Laura Carlson (OH, Hutchinson, Minn.), but a 4-0 run by the Bulldogs gave them a six point lead that would be relinquished. BSU would only get within four after the run. The Beavers woke up to start the second set, jumping out to a 7-0 lead. The Bulldogs didn’t quit and slowly chipped away at the deficit, eventually tying the match at 12-12 and then taking a 12-14 lead. The two teams battled to an 18-18 tie, but the Bulldogs again went on a devastating 4-0 run to grab a 22-18 lead. UMD held all the momentum at that point and the Beavers couldn’t find a way to string more than two points together and lost the set, going into the lockeroom with their tails between their legs. BSU failed to turn the match around in the third set, going down 1-10 to start the frame. The Beavers dug deep to avoid being embarrassed by the visitor and clawed their way back to a one point deficit at 13-14. The push proved to take too much out of BSU and UMD closed the set and the match on a 11-4 run.

Sophomore setter Courtney Bitter (Bemidji, Minn.) had 24 set assists and seven digs. Junior Brie Groskreutz (OH, Reedsburg, Minn.) played tough in the back row, digging out a match-high 23 digs. Junior Nicole Olson (MB, Baudette, Minn.) had a team-high seven kills and four block assists.

The Beavers hit the road Oct. 30-31 to battle No. 10 Minnesota State University, Mankato and No. 15 Southwest Minnesota State University, respectively.

Bemidji State University, located in Bemidji, Minn., is an NCAA Division II institution and a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).

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