Box Score MINOT, N.D. – The University of Minnesota, Crookston improved to 2-0 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play with a hard-fought win over Minot State University Saturday at the MSU Dome in Minot, N.D. The Golden Eagles took an early 1-0 lead but dropped the second set and hard-fought battles in the third and fourth set but were able to take both from the Beavers. The Golden Eagles improve to 6-3 on the season. Minot State falls to 3-8 (0-2 NSIC) on the season. 

Amanda Swann (Sr., OH, Rochester Hills, Mich.) led the team with 14 kills and hit .367 for the match. Brittany Looker (Jr., OH, Rochester, Minn.) tallied her fifth double-double of the year with 13 kills and 13 digs to chip in for the Golden Eagles. UMC hit .236 for the match guided by 25 assists from Lindsey Rees (R-Jr., Bronson, Mich.) and 19 assists from Paige Mitchell (R-Jr., West Palm Beach, Fla.).
 
Defensively, the Golden Eagles had three players who tallied double-figure digs as Chelsea Wiesner (Jr., Lib., Rochester, Minn.) tallied 18 digs while Alexandra Skeeter (Jr., OH, Milwaukee, Wis.) and Looker tallied 13. Morgan VanGerpen (So., MH, Overland Park, Kan.) notched one solo block and six block assists to lead the squad.
 
The Beavers were paced by 19 kills from Mallory Sall and 11 from Shari Hewson. Emily Byrne tallied 40 assists on the night. Minot State hit .174 as a team for the match.
 
Defensively, the Beavers were paced by 18 digs from Ashley Heavenor and 17 from Byrne. Tarah Dabovich led the squad with six block assists.
 
The Golden Eagles took the first set from the Beavers 25-22 despite a late comeback from Minot State after they were down 23-16 earlier in the set. UMC was led by Skeeter's four kills in the first set. She hit .375 for UMC. Rees had 11 assists for the Golden Eagles who hit .256 as a team in the first set.
 
Defensively, three players (Skeeter, Rees and Wiesner) had four digs as UMC had 18 digs overall in the first set.
 
After going down 1-0, Minot State bounced back in the second set to win 25-20. UMC hit .294 as a team but the Beavers outhit them with a .314 attack percentage. Looker had five kills in the second set for the Golden Eagles while Rees had seven assists and Wiesner had six digs. Looker hit .300 for the second set.
 
UMC took the third set 25-22 over Minot State after the Beavers made a late rally after being down 22-17. UMC hit .290 for the third set and Minot State only hit .108. Wiesner had six digs in the frame for the Golden Eagles while Looker had seven.
 
Down early in set four, UMC rallied to take an 18-15 lead but Minot State rebounded to take the set lead 23-22 The Golden Eagles used three straight points with a Swann kill, block from Van Gerpen and Alyssa Schneider and a kill from Schneider to come back and take the set 25-23 and the match 3-1.
 
UMC will head to Bemidji State University to continue conference play on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at BSU Gymnasium.
 
For more information, visit the Golden Eagle Athletics Web site at www.goldeneaglesports.com.

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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).
 
 
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