CROOKSTON, Minn. – Despite coming out of the gate and taking the first set, the University of Minnesota, Crookston volleyball team fell 3-1 (19-25, 25-20, 25-20, 25-21) to Northern State University Friday at Lysaker Gymnasium. The Golden Eagles controlled most of the first set hitting .364 to Northern State's .147 but some adjustments from the Wolves paid dividends as they rebounded to take the final three sets and the match. Northern State improves to 8-8 (3-5 NSIC) while UMC falls to 7-8 (3-5 NSIC).

In set one, the Golden Eagles came out looking like they were poised to take the match Friday night as they had 15 kills, hit .364 as a team and had seven blocks in the first set alone. Amanda Swann (Sr., OH, Rochester Hills, Mich.) led the way with seven kills in the opening set and hit .462. Morgan VanGerpen (So., MH, Overland Park, Kan.) led the UMC block with six block assists in the first set while setter Lindsey Rees (Jr., Bronson, Mich.) chipped in three block assists. UMC took the first set 25-19.

In set two, it was a different story as Northern State looked like they would take the set handily as they led 24-15 going for set point. The Golden Eagles would make things interesting using attack errors from the Wolves, kills from Rees and Swann and a service ace from Chelsea Wiesner (Jr., Lib., Rochester, Minn.), they closed the gap to 24-20 before a kill from Northern State's Kelsey Chambers gave the Wolves the set to knot up the match 1-1.

Set three was a back-and-forth frame in which the two squads exchanged points until after an 18-18 tie, Northern State took over and won seven of the last nine points. UMC struggled hitting in the set with only a .100 attack percentage while the Wolves hit .304.

In set four, both teams seemed to string a few runs together in different places but Northern State was able to take the set and secure a match victory.

Swann paced the Golden Eagles with 16 kills and hit .185 for the match, the total matched a season-high for a UMC player, tying Brittany Looker's performance against Ferris State University Sept. 7. Looker chipped in 11 kills and added 17 digs to complete her eighth double-double of the season. At setter, Rees and Paige Mitchell (R-Jr., West Palm Beach, Fla.) again split the duties with Mitchell notching 27 assists and Rees adding 13 while leading UMC to a .208 attack percentage.

Defensively, Wiesner paced the team, notching over 20 digs for the third-straight match with 23 on the night. Looker added 17 while Alexandra Skeeter (Jr., OH, Milwaukee, Wis.) chipped in 13 and Mitchell added 10. VanGerpen led the team with eight block assists while Rees added four.

Northern State hit .217 for the match and was led by Chambers and Kaleinani Kabalis, who both had 19 kills on the night. Macey Finizio added 14 for the Wolves. Drew Smith had the majority of the assists on the night, with 58.

Defensively, Ella Campbell led the way with 35 digs while Kabalis completed a double-double with 17 as did Chambers with 11 digs and Smith with 11 digs.

UMC will look to rebound from a five-match losing streak Saturday as they host Minnesota State University, Moorhead at 5 p.m. at Lysaker Gymnasium.

For more information, visit the Golden Eagle Athletics Web site at www.goldeneaglesports.com.

Follow the Golden Eagles on Facebook at Golden Eagle Sports and on Twitter at @UMCAthletics.

The University of Minnesota, Crookston is an NCAA Division II Institution and a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). The Golden Eagle Equestrian team is a member of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA).

-30-