Houghton, Mich.— Much like they did last season, the University of Minnesota Crookston volleyball team opened up their season with the only division II school in Wisconsin; Wisconsin-Parkside.
 
 
The Golden Eagles were looking to start the season 1-0 for the second straight season. The Golden Eagles defeated the Rangers three sets to one to start off the 2018 season.
 
It took five sets, but the Golden Eagles did indeed start the season 1-0. The Rangers fall to 1-1 on the season with the five set loss.
 
Key Players
Minnesota Crookston
Porsha Porath, 12 kills, 2 blocks, 8 digs
Deaira Gresham, 10 kills, 3 service aces, 9 digs
Sabrina Leuer, 6 kills, .400 hitting percentage
Ali Schueler, 13 digs, 3 service aces
 
Key Players
Wisconsin-Parkside
Rachel Hedman, 22 kills, .250 hitting percentage
Jazmine Neal, 12 kills, 2 digs
Alysha Brickl, 24 assists
 
Set One
 
The Golden Eagles got off to a quick start in set one, including jumping out to a six-point lead, which is a lead they would have three separate times in set number one. Up 13-7, the Rangers would score four straight to make it 13-11, before a Lauren Wallace (R-So., OH, Bloomington, Minn.) kill halted the Rangers run.
 
The Rangers would eventually tie up set number one at 14 apiece. With the score 20-19, Minnesota Crookston scored four straight points to go up 24-19 and eventually won the first set of the season, 25-20.
 
Set Two
 
The Rangers rebounded nicely in set two, defeating the Golden Eagles 25-16, to tie the match 1-1. The Rangers would score the first six points of set two. Parkside started fast and finished even faster, as they would lead 24-12 over the Golden Eagles, before winning set two, 25-16.
 
Set Three
 
If sets one and two were any indication, the third set was going to go to the Golden Eagles and that is exactly what happened. The set would stay close and was eventually tied at 17.
 
With the set tied at 17, Minnesota Crookston would score five straight points, highlighted by kills from Porsha Porath (So., OH, Windom, Minn.) and Sabrina Leuer (R-Sr., OH, Hamel, Minn.). The Golden Eagles would finish off the Rangers coming courtesy of back-to-back service aces from Ali Schueler (R-Sr., DS/Lib., Howards Grove, Wis.), to win the set 25-18.
 
Set Four
 
The Rangers continued the trend by winning set four in convincing fashion, 25-14. The set would stay close, before Wisconsin-Parkside went on a scoring run of six straight points to get breathing room at 23-13.
 
Minnesota Crookston would try to battle back, but the Rangers won set four to get the match to a deciding fifth set.
 
Set Five
 
The Golden Eagles started fast out of the gates in game five, jumping out to a 5-1 lead. The Rangers would get as close as 10-8, but the Golden Eagles were able to finish off the Rangers for the season opening win.
 
The Golden Eagles will look to start the season 2-0, but it won't be easy as the Golden Eagles play tournament host Michigan Tech, who swept fellow NSIC opponent Southwest Minnesota State, who was ranked ninth in the preseason national polls.