University of Minnesota Crookston Athletics

San Marcos, Calif. -- Minnesota Crookston volleyball was looking to bounce back on Friday afternoon as they played host school CSU San Marcos for the second of four matches at the Cougar Classic.

Minnesota Crookston would battle all day long, see a marathon set two not go their way and fall in straight sets to the Cougars (17-25, 28-30, 15-25).

Minnesota Crookston falls to 1-5.

Set One

CSUSM would lead early at 4-1, but Madison Carsten (Sr., OH, Wadena, Minn.) would finish off a kill to cut the lead in half.

The Cougars would take an 8-4 lead, but back-to-back kills from Ellery Ehresmann (So., S, Albany, Minn.) and Brooklyn Gysbers (Fr., OH, White Bear Lake, Minn.) would help the Golden Eagles get back within one at 8-7.

Gysbers would help the Golden Eagles knot the set up at 11 following a service ace and a kill.

Later on in the set, CSUSM would take a 17-14 lead, but a Penelope Vertin (Sr., MH, Wayzata, Minn.) kill would get the maroon and gold within one.

The Cougars would control the rest of the set for the eight point triumph to take a 1-0 lead in the match.

Gysbers led the way with four kills and a service ace in the opening set.

Set Two

A kill from Gysbers, two kills from Carsten and a service ace from Hannah Nesdahl (Fr., DS/Lib., Sioux Falls, S.D.) would push the Golden Eagles to a 4-1 lead early.

CSUSM would creep back into the set early, but the Golden Eagles would regain their three point advantage on an Ehresmann service ace.

CSUSM would actually take a 9-8 lead, but Emma Malek (Sr., MH, Plainfield, Ill.) would collect three service aces in the midst of six in a row and take a 14-9 lead.

The Golden Eagles would take a 17-13 lead, but CSUSM would go on an 8-2 run and take a 21-19 lead, forcing a Minnesota Crookston timeout.

Following the timeout, Jacelyn Crane (Fr., MH, Cumming, Iowa) would collect her first kill of the match and the Cougars would commit a setting error, forcing the final timeout of the set for the Cougars with the set tied at 21.

A Gysbers kill would make it 22-21 in favor of the Golden Eagles, but two in a row from CSUSM would force the final timeout for either side.

The second set would turn out to be an absolute marathon. The Golden Eagles would see three set points, but the Cougars would eventually win the set on a ball that appeared to be touched at the net by the Cougars, but there was no call and CSUSM would win the thriller, 30-28.

Set Three

It would be an uphill climb for Minnesota Crookston, as they would trail early by a score of 5-1, forcing an early timeout.

Minnesota Crookston would fall in the third set and the match, 3-0.

Individual Stats

Gysbers was phenomenal all day, finishing with a career-high 10 kills on 17 total attacks, good for a career-high .471 attacking percentage. Carsten finished with eight kills on 36 total attacks.

Minnesota Crookston hit .130 as a team.

Carsten and Adrienne Venditto (So., DS, Bovey, Minn.) each finished with six digs in the match, while Nesdahl added five for the second consecutive day.

What's Next

Minnesota Crookston will be back in action for two tomorrow, starting with conference foe and undefeated Bemidji State at 11 A.M. (CT) / 9 A.M. (PT).