The University of Sioux Falls and Minot State battled in a back and forth five-set match tonight as the Cougars fell just short losing 3-2 (25-19, 30-32, 25-20, 16-25, 5-15) to the Beavers in the MSU Dome in Minot, N.D.
USF (9-6, 1-5 NSIC) junior Kate Hart netted a career-best 16 kills along with two block assists and a pair of aces, while junior Emily Johnson hit .321 for the match and finished with 14 kills, four digs and two aces. Senior libero Andrea Odbert paced the Cougars' back row defense with 21 digs.
Minot State (7-8, 3-3 NSIC) was led by junior outside hitter Jen Dixon who tallied the only double-double of the match, blasting 22 kills with a team-best 17 digs. Mallory Sall had 16 kills. Brooke French (26) and Emily Byrne (25) shared setting duties and Minot State had 59 assists total.
Four of USF's last six matches have gone the distance and the Cougars are 2-2 in five-setters this season. Last night the Cougars erased a 2-0 deficit to knock off Jamestown College on their home court.
USF was without middle blocker Samantha Lovell for all but one set. The Cougars' top blocker has been battling a leg injury for the majority of her junior campaign. Freshman Jordan Calef earned the start tonight and tossed up four blocking assists while also chipping in five kills on 23 attempts.
The Cougars' attack (.156) was held in check by Minot State, who posted a .250 hitting clip and out-blocked the visitors by a 10-to-7 margin. It is the fourth straight match that the Cougars have been out-matched at the top of the net.
USF wraps up its three-game road trip through the Peace Garden State tomorrow with a 4 p.m. tilt at the University of Mary (3-10, 0-6).
