Moorhead, Minn. – Minnesota Crookston travelled down Highway-75 to open up NSIC Volleyball play with rival Minnesota State University, Moorhead.
 
The Dragons would hold off a late first set rally to win the first set 23-25 and then would win the second set a little more handily, 16-25. Minnesota Crookston would come back to win set three, 25-23, but would fall in the fourth set, 20-25. The Dragons would win the match, 3-1.
 
The Golden Eagles fall to 1-8 (0-1 NSIC), while MSUM improves to 4-5 (1-0 NSIC).
 
Set One
The Dragons would pull out to a quick 7-1 lead, but a Dragon service error would get the Golden Eagles some momentum.
 
Mara Weisensel (Jr., MH, New Ulm, Minn.) and Bailey Schaefer (So., OH, Brandon, Minn.) would account for back-to-back kills to get the Golden Eagles a little closer.
 
Weisensel would knot things up at 10 with another kill. Weisensel would finish with four kills in the opening set.
 
The Dragons would eventually take a 22-16 lead in the set, but much like they have all year, the young Golden Eagles would fight back. Schaefer would get two service aces in a row, helping the comeback, but the Golden Eagles would fall in the first set by two.
 
Set Two
Set two would start out as a back-and-forth affair, as both teams would trade points through the first six points in the middle set.
 
A service error and another Weisensel kill would give the Golden Eagles back the lead at 5-3.
 
The Golden Eagles would trail 6-5, but a Dragon error and an Audrey Cariveau (Fr., OH, Kevil, Kent.) kill gave the Golden Eagles back the lead at 7-6.
 
Midway through the set, the Dragons would go on a 7-0 run and that would be enough for the Dragons to win the set 25-16 and go up in the match, two sets to none.
 
Set Three
With their backs against the wall, the Golden Eagles would rebound and win the third set, 25-23. They would get off to a good start with a Dragon error and a Cariveau kill.
 
The Dragons would take a 6-3 lead, but a Charlee Krieg (Jr., OH, Cavalier, N.D.) kill would halt the run and actually propel the Golden Eagles to a 4-0 run for a 7-6 lead.
 
The teams would go back-and-forth but the Golden Eagles would take a 14-11 lead, forcing a Dragon timeout. The timeout would work for the Dragons, who would tie things up at 14.
 
Minnesota Crookston would go on yet another 4-0 run, forcing another Dragons timeout. MSUM would try to come back, but Cariveau would end the set with her 11^th kill of the match, getting the maroon and gold right back into the set, down 2-1.
 
Set Four
Set four would see the Golden Eagles take a 4-1 lead early on, but the Dragons would come back and take a 7-6 lead.
 
The Dragons would continue to lead and would eventually take a 14-12 lead, but Krieg would put one down right on the line to cut the lead back to two and freshman Cariveau would continue to be tough for the Dragons to stop, collecting another kill. The Golden Eagles would tie things up at 14, making it the 23^rd time that both teams were tied in the match.
 
MSUM would take an 18-16 lead in the fourth set, which would force a Golden Eagle timeout.
 
The Dragons would pull away for the 25-20 victory and the 3-1 win in the match.
 
Individual Stats
The Golden Eagles had three with double-digit kills, led by a career-high 14 from Cariveau on 40 attacks. Weisensel finished with 12, while Krieg had 11. Schaefer had six kills on 34 total attacks.
 
Natalie Koke (R-Sr., S, Caledonia, Wis.) had one of the best games of her career, finishing with four kills, 38 assists and 20 digs in the match.
 
The Golden Eagles hit .127 in the match, while the Dragons hit .208 as a team.
 
What's Next
The Golden Eagles travel to Aberdeen, S.D. tomorrow afternoon for a match with Northern State, who is receiving national votes. First serve with the Wolves is set for 2 P.M., from Wachs Arena.