MSU volleyball falls flat against Sioux Falls
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The Minot State volleyball team was swept for a second straight day, losing 3-0 to Sioux Falls on Saturday afternoon by set scores of 25-23, 25-16 and 25-17.
The Beavers (10-13, 4-10 NSIC) and Cougars (15-7, 10-4 NSIC) couldn't be separated by more than four points in the opening set. Tied at 23-23, Sioux Falls got kills from Bria Barfnecht and Makenna Rockeman to eek away with the first set win.
The Cougars used that momentum to race out to an 8-0 lead in the second set. MSU managed to get within five points at 19-14, but fell too far behind early on to catch up completely.
The third and final set was last tied at 13-13 before Sioux Falls scored 12 out of the final 16 points to seal the victory.
Three Cougars finished with double-digits in kills: Averey Yaksich (15), Lexi Scott (13) and Rockeman (10). Sioux Falls put together a lethal .406 hitting percentage as a team.
MSU sophomore setter Mackenzie Froehlich had a memorable match by recording a career-high 17 assists. Shelby Spuller had 12 kills, followed by Emily Falldorf (8) and Jeanne Brenner (7).
Next up, the Beavers have a non-conference contest against Dickinson State at 7 p.m. Tuesday evening in Dickinson.
MSU football unable to slow down No. 1 Minnesota State
MANKATO, Minn. -- The Minot State football team surrendered a season-high 62 points and 595 yards of total offense to No. 1-ranked Minnesota State on Saturday in Mankato.
The Mavericks (7-0, 4-0 NSIC) limited the Beavers (1-6, 1-3 NSIC) to a pair of touchdown catches by junior Lavante Bushnell in a 62-13 win.
Minnesota State got on the scoreboard first when JD Ekowa connected with Shane Zylstra on a 36-yard scoring strike at the 10:24 mark of the first quarter. The Mavericks increased the lead to 11-0 when Casey Bednarski hit a 53-yard field goal at the 7:59 mark of the first quarter.
Minot State got its first points of the afternoon when Ben Bolinske found Bushnell on a 13-yard touchdown to cut the lead to 11-6 with 3:23 to play in the first quarter.
Ian Pribyl scored from a yard out early in the second quarter to increase the Minnesota State lead to 18-6 and they pushed the lead to 25-6 on an Ekowa 12-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Schmidt.
Ryan Schlichte found Zylstra from five yards out to up the Mavericks lead to 32-6 with 4:42 to play before halftime.
Bolinske tossed his second touchdown pass of the day to Bushnell, this one from 10 yards out, to cut the lead to 32-13. Mankato answered quickly with a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Justin Taomina giving the Mavericks a 39-13 lead at halftime.
Minnesota State scored 23 points in the third quarter to increase the lead to 62-13.
Neither team scored in the fourth quarter.
Bushnell caught six passes for 81 yards and his two touchdowns. Bolinske was 12-of-19 for 94 yards passing and also had 30 yards rushing. The Beavers were held to 241 yards of total offense and just 58 yards rushing.
Minot State hosts Wayne State next at 1 p.m. Saturday at Herb Parker Stadium.
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