Crookston, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston gave Minnesota Duluth all they could handle on Tuesday night in volleyball action in Crookston, but the Bulldogs swept the Golden Eagles (26-28, 18-25, 16-25) to improve to 17-8 (9-7 NSIC).
 
The Golden Eagles fall to 1-20 (0-16 NSIC) on the season.
 
Set One
The first set was a back-and-forth and wild affair. UMD would take a 7-1 lead, which would force a Golden Eagle timeout.
 
Lauren Wallace (R-Sr., OH, Bloomington, Minn.) collected a kill to halt the 4-0 run and cut the lead to 7-2.
 
Minnesota Crookston would eventually trail 12-5, but a pair of kills from Bailey Schaefer (Fr., OH, Brandon, Minn.) and Maria Jose Bustos Garcia (Sr., MH, Cartagena, Columbia) would be a part of a 3-0 run, forcing a Bulldog timeout.
 
The Bulldogs wouldn't let the Golden Eagles back within five, until they led 16-11.
 
The maroon and gold would go on a 4-0 run highlighted by a Wallace kill and an ace, as well as a Mara Weisensel (So., OH, New Ulm, Minn.) kill to make it 16-15.
 
The Golden Eagles would use a pair of Bulldog errors to come all the way back and tie things at 17.
 
UMD would lead by three on two separate occasions, but Minnesota Crookston would tie things up at 24, after a Charlee Krieg (So., OH, Cavalier, N.D.) kill which sent the 275 fans inside Lysaker Gymnasium into a frenzy.
 
The two teams would trade points up to 26, but the Bulldogs would score the final two points of the set to take a thrilling opening set, 28-26.
 
 
Set Two
The Golden Eagles would continue their strong play into the second set, taking a 2-1 lead after a pair of Bulldog errors.
 
The two teams would trade points, but the maroon and gold would take a one point lead at 7-6 following kills from the young trio of Krieg, Weisensel and Natalie Koke (R-Jr., S, Caledonia, Wis.).
 
Bojana Stekovic (Jr., OH, Gornji Milanovac, Serbia) would serve up an ace to stretch their lead to 10-7, forcing a 'Dogs timeout.
 
The timeout seemed to work, as the Bulldogs would score three straight to knot things up at 10.
 
UMD would eventually pull away to win the second set, 25-18.
 
Set Three
The Bulldogs would score six out of the first eight points in the third and deciding set, but two more Bulldogs errors would help Minnesota Crookston cut the lead to 6-4.
 
UMD would stretch their lead to 10-4, but four errors from the Bulldogs would help the Golden Eagles catapult them right back into the set, trailing just 11-8.
 
Koke would get the Golden Eagles back within four at 14-10 after an ace and one of her five kills in the match.
 
The four-point deficit was as close as the Golden Eagles would get in the third set, as the Bulldogs would win 25-16 to sweep the match.
 
Key Stats
Minnesota Crookston had a fairly balanced attack, seeing Wallace lead the way with nine kills, Schaefer collecting eight and Weisensel and Koke each collecting five. Koke was two digs away from a double-double, collecting 23 assists and eight digs.
 
Schaefer collected 10 digs to lead the way, while Layne Whaley (Fr., DS, Ashland, Neb.) collected seven.
 
Minnesota Duluth hit .302 in the match, compared to .117 for the home squad.
 
What's Next
Minnesota Crookston will celebrate senior weekend as they wrap-up the home schedule with a pair of matches against Augustana on Friday at 5 P.M., and Wayne State on Saturday at 1 P.M. The 2020 Golden Eagle seniors will be honored on Friday night and the current seniors for the Golden Eagles will be honored on Saturday afternoon.