MANKATO, Minn. - The Minnesota State University Moorhead and Minnesota State Mankato battle lived out to the fifth set in Tuesday's match, as the Dragons pushed the No. 14 ranked Mavericks to the limit but could not hand them the upset as the top-ranked team took the five-set match (25-22, 26-28, 25-23, 22-25, 15-7).

The Dragons pushed the Mavericks from the get-go as MSU Moorhead took a 7-4 lead on a kill by freshman Heidi Lensing. The Mavericks tied the set at 12 as they capitalized on Dragons hitting errors.

The game remained the Dragons favor or tied until the 22-all point that was tied on a kill by MSU Mankato's Samantha Dale. She combined with Chelsea Fogarty and Brittany Stamer to each tally a kill in the final three points to take the first set.

The momentum continued into the second set for the Mavericks as they took an early 6-1 lead. The Dragons would begin to close the gap as Laura Tvrdik started the Dragons off with a kill. She followed with one more along with two each from Kristen Kleven and Mary Sussenguth before the game was finally tied at 21.

MSU Moorhead took the lead at 25-24 on a kill by Susenguth but faced with a tie two more times before pulling out the extra-point set, 28-26.

The third set was similar to the first two, where the winner was not decided until the final three points as the Mavericks Ally Kwikkel sealed the win on a kill, 25-23.

Facing the finish of the match, the Dragons jumped to a 5-0 lead in the fourth set and held the lead for all but one point when the set was tied at 19. Lensing had two kills in the final three points to take the 25-22 set.

MSU Mankato's Amanda Beekman had two kills to put the Mavericks up 5-2 in the fifth set before Lensing brough the Red and White back within one. Two kills and a service ace gave the Mavericks a four point lead and the push to take the match.

Tvrdik led the team with 18 kills and two blocks. The Dragons top performers also included Lensing and Sussenguth with 11 kills each. Kleven ended the game with six blocks and seven kills. Katy Ness had 23 digs in the match while Ashley Pyfferoen and Andrea Rachel trailed her with 13 and 11, respectively. Leigh Splittstoesser had 34 of the team's 51 assists.

The Dragson will honor their seniors and parents in the final weekend of the regular season as they host Augustana (S.D.) and Wayne State (Neb.) in NSIC action on Friday and Saturday. Friday's match against the Vikings will start at 7 p.m. and the first serve on Sat. against the Wildcats is scheduled for 4 p.m.