Crookston, Minn. – Minnesota State University, Moorhead picked up their second win overall and second of the conference season by sweeping Minnesota Crookston (19-25, 11-25, 23-25) on Friday night inside Lysaker Gymnasium.
 
With the loss, the Golden Eagles fall to 1-14 (0-10 NSIC), while the Dragons improve to 2-16 (2-8 NSIC).
 
Set One
The theme of the match would be quick Dragon starts. MSUM would score the first two points of the match, but Natalie Koke (R-Jr., S, Caledonia, Wis.) collected a kill to cut the lead in half.
 
The Dragons would extend their lead to 5-1, but Mara Weisensel (So., MH, New Ulm, Minn.) would collect one of her ten kills in the match to make it 5-2. Weisensel was the only Golden Eagle with double-digit kills.
 
MSUM would stretch their lead to 14-8, but a Weisensel kill and a Dragon error would cut the lead to 14-10.
 
Minnesota Crookston would use a trio of Dragon errors to cut the MSUM lead to 15-13, but MSUM would answer with three straight points of their own, to lead 18-13, which forced a Golden Eagle timeout.
 
Minnesota Crookston could not get any closer than three points the rest of the way, as the Dragons would win set one, 25-19.
 
Set Two
Set two would be all Dragons. They would score 12 out of the first 15 points in the set, forcing a pair of Sarah Morgan timeouts in that stretch.
 
Minnesota Crookston would make it 14-8, with kills from Weisensel and Lauren Wallace (R-Sr., OH, Bloomington, Minn.).
 
The Dragons would score eight points in a row to win the second set, 25-11.
 
Set Three
The Dragons would score the first four points of the third set, but Weisensel would collect a kill to force a side out.
 
MSUM would eventually lead 8-3, but the young Golden Eagles would not go away.
 
Minnesota Crookston would eventually cut the lead to just one, following a Bailey Mulcahy (R-Sr., DS, Fertile, Minn.) service ace.
 
The Dragons would score the next two points, but a rare Amanda Carlson attacking error helped the maroon and gold cut the lead back down to two.
 
Trailing 19-15, the Golden Eagles needed a good run at the service line and they got it in the form of Bojana Stekovic (Jr., OH, Gornji Milanovac, Serbia). Stekovic and the Golden Eagles scored six points in a row, including a service ace in that stretch to give the Golden Eagles their first lead of the match at 21-19.
 
The Dragons would eventually knot things up at 22, but a Morgan Cleveland service error gave the Golden Eagles back the lead at 23-22.
 
MSUM would score three in a row to win the set and the match.
 
Individual Performers
Minnesota Crookston was led by Weisensel and Charlee Krieg (So., OH, Cavlier, N.D.), who collected 10 and nine kills, respectively. Koke collected 25 assists.
 
Layne Whaley (Fr., DS, Ashland, Neb.) collected 11 digs to lead the team, while Krieg and Mulcahy collected seven and six a piece.
 
The Dragons were led by Amanda Carlson who collected 22 kills on 43 total swings. The Phoenix, Ariz., native hit .372 in the match.
 
What's Next
Minnesota Crookston is back in action tomorrow afternoon for a match with Northern State. First serve is set for 2 P.M., from Crookston.