MOORHEAD, Minn. – The Minnesota State University Moorhead volleyball team pushed Minnesota State University Mankato to five sets but came up short in the fifth, 25-20, 13-25, 22-25, 26-24, 15-10.
 
The Dragons are now 7-8 overall and 2-5 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play.
 
Freshman Sarah Petrbok led MSUM in kills, for the second straight match, with 13 and was also second on the team in digs with 22. Kaylyn Jenkins had 12 kills, while Courtney Selbitschka had eight. Jenkins, Selbitschka and Monica Vega each had two service aces. Freshman setter Ellie Hoyt had 25 set assist and Lauren Kiewiet added 18. Vega led the Dragons in digs with 25. Jenkins led the team in net defense with 11 total blocks, while senior Tyann Caspers had eight.
 
Despite the Dragons 11-5 led partway through the first set but MSU was quick to catch up and eventually would take set one 25-20. MSUM regained momentum in the second set as they took an early 7-1 lead. The Mavericks were unable to close in on the Dragons lead. Three kills and two Maverick errors sealed MSUM's 25-13 second set victory.
 
The third set was back-and-forth until the teams were tied at 22. A kill by Kiewiet and two Maverick errors gave MSUM a 25-22 win in the third set and a 2-1 lead on the match. Minnesota State-Mankato took an early 7-2 lead in the fourth, however the Dragons quickly answered with seven consecutive points taking the lead, 9-7. The Mavericks quickly closed in and the lead traded-off until the teams were tied at 24. Two Maverick kills gave MSU the 26-24 set win which set the match into the fifth set.
 
MSUM never saw a lead in the fifth set but were able to keep up only trailing 11-9 at one point. The Mavericks made three consecutive kills that helped them seal the 15-10 fifth set win, leading them to the 3-2 victory.