Bismarck, N.D. – Minnesota Crookston volleyball won the third set after trailing by as many as six late in the set, to propel the Golden Eagles to a thrilling four-set win (25-19, 16-25, 26-24, 26-24) over the University of Mary on Friday night in the Capital city.
 
Minnesota Crookston improves to 5-13 (2-8 NSIC) and have won two of their last three NSIC matches.
 
Set One
The first set was a pretty good indication of how the match would go. Maya Jones (So., OH, New Braunfels, Texas) would give the Golden Eagles a 4-2 lead.
 
Moments later, Jones and Carizma Muth (R-Fr., OH, Randolph, Wis.) would collect back-to-back kills for a 6-3 lead.
 
UMary would score six straight, but a service error would make it 9-7 in favor of the home team.
 
The Golden Eagles would eventually tie the set at 12, but once again the Marauders would answer and take a 15-12 lead.
 
The cardiac kids would do it again and score the final seven points in the set, highlighted by a pair of service aces from Baily Teveldal (Fr., S, Baltic, S.D.) to give the Golden Eagles a six-point win.
 
Set Two
In the second set, the Golden Eagles would look to take control of the match, but the Marauders would say not so fast.
 
UMary would extend their second set lead to 14-8, but Jones would collect a kill to get the Golden Eagles back within five.
 
UMary would double up the Golden Eagles at 18-9, but Madison Carsten (So., OH, Wadena, Minn.) would start a 3-0 run with a kill, making it 18-12.
 
The Golden Eagles would try to get back in the set, but UMary would win the middle set.
 
Set Three
In the all-important third and swing set, the Golden Eagles would start out fast with a 3-0 lead, as a Jones kill would be in the middle of that fast start.
 
UMary would take an 8-4 lead, but a huge block by Jones and Megan Schoenfelder (So., MH, Zumbrota, Minn.) would make it 8-6.
 
Much like the second set, the Marauders would take a 14-8 lead and would take a 21-15 lead later on in the set.
 
The young Golden Eagles would show some scrappiness and fight. Carsten would catapult a 5-0 run with three kills in that run, cutting the Marauder lead to just one at 21-20.
 
Later on in the set, the Golden Eagles would have to fight off a pair of set points, which is exactly what they would do. Muth would tie the set up and give the Golden Eagles their second lead in the set at 25-24. Teveldal would give the Golden Eagles the win with her third service ace of the night at 26-24.
 
Set Four
The fourth set would start in favor of the Golden Eagles. The set would be tied at seven, but Emma Malek (So., MH, Plainfield, Ill.) would collect two kills in a 5-0 run, giving the Golden Eagles a 12-7 lead.
 
The Marauders would chip away and would tie the set up at 15, but another service error by the Marauders would give back the Golden Eagle lead.
 
UMary would take a 19-17 lead, but Kailee Waasdorp (So., DS, West Fargo, N.D.) would get a service ace in the midst of a 3-0 run for a 20-19 lead.
 
UMary would again retake the lead at 23-22, but the Golden Eagles would get match point with two straight points.
 
Tied at 24, Malek would give the Golden Eagles match point and Carsten would give the Golden Eagles the win with her 13^th and final kill of the match.
 
Individual Stats
Minnesota Crookston showed balance in the match. Muth and Carsten led the way with 13 kills, while Malek and Jones finished with 11 kills each. Carsten also finished with 22 digs, one behind her career-high and her fifth double-double of the season. Schoenfelder added seven kills, as well.
 
The Golden Eagles had five players with 10 or more digs, led by Waasdorp, who finished with 29. Teveldal finished with another double-double, adding 13 digs and 49 assists, just five behind her career best. Bailey Schaefer (Sr., OH/DS, Brandon, Minn.) added 17 digs, while Muth also finished with a double-double, finishing with 11 digs.
 
What's Next
The Golden Eagles will look for a sweep in conference play tomorrow afternoon, as they travel to Minot State for a 2 P.M. match, inside the Minot State Dome.