BEMIDJI, Minn. -- A back and forth match-up culminated in a five-set victory for the Dragon volleyball team on Friday night. After falling behind 2-1 heading into the fourth set, the Dragons put together a winning rally.
"I really feel like we played with a lot of grit after the third set. I'm super proud of the team for their fight to the finish," said head coach Bob Jones.
Set By Set Breakdown
Set 1
MSUM 25
BSU 16
The Dragons opened up the scoring by taking an early 13-9 lead, leading to a Bemidji State timeout. Three early kills from
Bridget Witzmann helped guide the Dragons to a quick advantage in the first set. MSUM commanded the rest of the set, going on a 12-7 run following the Beaver timeout. The Dragons hit an impressive .414 in a 25-16 first set win. Witzmann had six kills in the first frame.
Set 2
MSUM 24
BSU 26
It was Bemidji State that jumped out in front in the second set, taking a 9-2 lead in the opening moments of the second set. Down by as many as seven points, MSUM was able to scratch back into the set, knotting the score at 14 apiece.
Amanda Carlson's service ace on the ensuing play gave the Dragons a complete comeback in the set, leading 15-14 at that point. The Beavers had three chances at set point, but MSUM was once again able to battle back tying the set at 24. Bemidji State was able to muster the two points to take set two, 26-24.
Set 3
MSUM 24
BSU 26
The third set belonged to MSUM early, taking a 6-1 lead thanks to kills from Witzmann and
Tori Thompson. Bemidji State was able to bring the set neck and neck in the mid stages with the Dragons holding a 20-18 lead late in the set. With the Beavers sitting on set point once again, the Dragons rallied to even the score at 24. Again, it would be the Beavers who stamped out the MSUM rally, winning the set 26-24.
Set 4
MSUM 25
BSU 22
A deciding fourth set was tight throughout as both teams were unable to get any separation from the other. Down the stretch, a kill and block assist from
Jadyn Feist along with a service ace from
Macie Wieman brought MSUM to set point. Feist would get the final kill to take the match to five sets. Feist was responsible for three of MSUM's final four points in the set.
"Jadyn really stepped up for in the fourth set," said Jones. "She put the clamps on their outside hitters and that allowed us to go on a run of points."
Set 5
MSUM 15
BSU 10
Tori Thompson rallied the Dragons with two kills in the deciding set as the Dragons grabbed a 10-5 lead early. In the closing stages of the match, once again, it was the sophomore Feist who came up big. Feist accounted for MSUM's final two points with a kill and a block assist with
Abby Thompson. With those plays, the Dragons took the set 15-10 and the match.
Top Dragons
Number Of The Night
- Although Amanda Carlson tallied an impressive seven service aces tonight, it was still three short of the school record set by Sara Myskevitz in 1994. As a team, MSUM's 13 service aces tonight is a season-high in 2022.
MSUM is now 8-19 overall and 5-14 in NSIC play.
The Dragons are back at work tomorrow as they face off with Minnesota Crookston at 2 p.m. in Crookston. It is the final regular season match for the Dragons in 2022.
