Crookston, Minn. – Bemidji State was able to win three straight sets after trailing two sets to none on Thursday night in Crookston to defeat Minnesota Crookston in five sets.
 
Minnesota Crookston now moves to 0-2 in five-set matches and 1-18 overall (0-14 NSIC). The Beavers improve to 2-20 (2-12 NSIC) and win their second straight match.
 
Set One
Set one would be all Minnesota Crookston. The Golden Eagles would trail 2-0, but would score four straight points, using a trio of Beaver errors and a Layne Whaley (Fr., L, Ashland, Neb.) service ace.
 
The Beavers would tie things up back at four, but the Golden Eagles would score six straight points, highlighted by five Beaver attack errors and a Natalie Koke (R-Jr., S, Caledonia, Wis.) service ace. The Golden Eagles would collect 11 service aces in the match.
 
BSU would take a 16-10 lead, but Lauren Wallace (R-Sr., OH, Bloomington, Minn.) and Bailey Schaefer (Fr., OH, Brandon, Minn.) would collect back-to-back kills to stretch the lead to 18-10.
 
BSU would try to come back in the first set, but the Golden Eagles would win the first set, 25-15.
 
Set Two
Once again, the Beavers would take a 1-0 lead, but the Golden Eagles would score two straight points, once again with the help of a Whaley service ace.
 
The second set would be as back-and-forth as you could get. The teams would be tied a whopping 11 times through the first 24 points, including being tied at 12.
 
Minnesota Crookston and back-to-back kills from Wallace, capping off a 5-0 run would force a Beaver timeout, leading 16-12.
 
BSU would cut the lead to 18-16, but a Schaefer kill and a Bojana Stekovic (Jr., OH, Gornji Milanovac, Serbia) ace would help the Golden Eagles win 25-17.
 
Set Three
With their backs against the wall, the Beavers would once again lead 1-0. That lead would be short lived as Mara Weisensel (So., MH, New Ulm, Minn.) would collect one of her career-high 16 kills to get the Golden Eagles on the board.
 
With the set tied at four, the Golden Eagles would score five points in a row, using a pair of kills from Charlee Krieg (So., OH, Cavalier, N.D.) and a service ace from Madison Klimek (So., DS, Oakdale, Minn.). The 9-4 lead would get the good crowd inside Lysaker Gymnasium on their feet.
 
Minnesota Crookston would eventually extend their lead to 17-13, but after a Kevin Ulmer timeout, BSU would score five out of the next six sets to take a 19-18 lead.
 
The maroon and gold would score three straight to take a 21-20 lead, but the Beavers would score the set's final five points to win the set, 25-21.
 
Set Four
The Beavers would come out firing on all cylinders in the fourth set, taking a 5-1 lead, which forced a Sarah Morgan timeout.
 
Minnesota Crookston would eventually cut the lead to 8-6, with three straight kills from Wallace and Krieg.
 
Bemidji State would take control by going on a 6-0 run to extend their lead to 14-6. That is all the Beavers would need to win the fourth set and set up a win or go home in the fifth set.
 
Set Five
BSU would jump out to an early lead and never relinquish that lead. With the Beavers lead 2-0, a bad set from the Beavers would get the Golden Eagles on the board.
 
BSU would lead 6-3, but another bad set from the Beavers and a Stekovic service ace cut the lead to 6-5. The Golden Eagles would collect 11 service aces as a team, just one off of their season-high set last Saturday at UMary.
 
The Golden Eagles would get within one twice in the final set, but the Beavers were able to win the final set in thrilling fashion, 15-11.
 
Key Stats
Weisensel led the way with a career night. She finished with 16 kills on 33 total attacks and hit .424 in the match. Wallace collected 14 kills, while Schaefer collected her third straight double-digit kill performance with 11 in the match. Krieg and Koke each collected four kills in the match. Koke also collected 42 assists, which was the same amount as the Beavers setter, Emily Wade.
 
The key number will be at the service line. The Golden Eagles finished with 15 errors from the service line, compared to BSU and their three errors.
 
What's Next
Minnesota Crookston heads on the road for a Saturday matinee with the 14^th ranked Huskies of St. Cloud State at Halenbeck Hall. First serve is set for 2 P.M.