Spearfish, S.D. – Playing their third and fourth matches in two days, Golden Eagle volleyball was looking to halt their brief four match losing streak with a pair of matches against Eastern New Mexico and MSU Billings.
 
Minnesota Crookston split the twin bill, defeating ENMU in four sets (19-25, 25-20, 25-19, 25-19), before falling to MSU Billings in four sets (16-25, 19-25, 25-19, 21-25).
 
Minnesota Crookston heads into conference play on Wednesday night with a 3-5 record.
 
Match One
Playing for the second time in a week, the Greyhounds would control the opening set with the six point victory, jumping out to an early 1-0 lead in the match.
 
In the second set, the Greyhounds would lead 7-6, but Carizma Muth (R-Fr., OH, Randolph, Minn.) would lead a 5-0 run for an 11-7 lead, with a pair of kills.
 
ENMU would answer back and regain a one point lead at 13-12, but Emma Malek (So., MH, Plainfield, Ill.) would collect a trio of her career-high 13 kills in a 7-0 run to control the set at 19-13.
 
Muth would finish off the set with a kill for a 25-20 win.
 
In the swing third set, the Golden Eagles would gain control and never relinquish it. The Golden Eagles would go on a massive run and take a 15-7 lead, highlighted by a pair of Kailee Waasdorp (So., DS, West Fargo, N.D.) service aces. The Golden Eagles would win the set, 25-19, following another Muth kill to close out the set.
 
The final set would be all Golden Eagles. Minnesota Crookston would jump out to a 14-2 lead, by far their best start of the season. Needing the set, ENMU would make a charge and cut the lead to four at 23-19, but a Madison Carsten (So., OH, Wadena, Minn.) kill and an error by the Greyhounds would give the Golden Eagles the victory in the match.
 
Once again, the Golden Eagles were balanced. Muth led the way once again with 15 kills on 50 swings, while Malek hit a career-high .440, while collecting 13 kills on 25 total attacks. Carsten continues to be as consistent as they come, finishing with 11 kills and 18 digs, her fifth double-double of the season and second straight, up to that match.
 
Waasdorp finished with 34 digs in the match, while Baily Teveldal (Fr., S, Baltic, S.D.) continued to flash, finishing with 42 assists.
 
Match Two
Playing shorthanded, the Golden Eagles would look to sweep the day, but the Yellowjackets proved to be too much for the maroon and gold.
 
MSU Billings would control the opening set, taking an early four point lead and never looking back, winning the first set by nine.
 
In the second set, the Golden Eagles would take a two point lead at 10-8, following a Lexi Scharold (Fr., MH, Alexandria, Kent.) kill, but MSUB would regain control with a 6-0 run for a four point lead.
 
The Golden Eagles would try to chip away, but MSUB would eventually win the second set, 25-19.
 
The urgency would show up in set three. Minnesota Crookston would trail early at 6-3, but a Malek kill would be the start of the 3-0 run to tie the set.
 
Megan Schoenfelder (So., MH, Zumbrota, Minn.) and Carsten would give the Golden Eagles a five point lead following a pair of kills. The Golden Eagles would win the set and send it to a fourth set.
 
It would be a back-and-forth affair in the fourth set, but the Yellowjackets would take a 20-13 lead. The Golden Eagles would chip away and a Muth service ace would force an MSUB timeout, now leading 22-20. The Yellowjackets would score three of the next four points for the four point win and the match win.
 
Carsten, Scharold and Schoenfelder each led the way in kills. Carsten finished with 11, while Scharold tied a career-high and Schoenfelder set a career-high with 10 kills. Carsten also finished with another double-double, with 17 digs and those 11 kills. Waasdorp finished with 22 digs, while Muth added 17, as did Bailey Schaefer (Sr., DS/OH, Brandon, Minn.).
 
What's Next
The Golden Eagles put non-conference play in the rearview mirror and opens up NSIC play on Wednesday for the home opener against Highway-2 rivals Bemidji State.