MANKATO, Minn.- The No. 24 University of Sioux Falls volleyball team went to Mankato, Minn., to take on the Minnesota State Mavericks on Friday. The result of the highly-competitive match was a 25-20, 25-20, 25-23 straight set victory for the Mavericks.

Leading the Cougars on the court was senior KaSandra Springer with a .229 hitting percentage (13K-5E-35TA). Springer neared a double-double, falling just one dig short of the feat. Junior Krista Goerger recorded 27 of the Cougars' 29 assists, while senior Allie Maloney recorded the other two assists. Freshman Brooklynne Albrecht led the team in digs with 10.

As a team, the Cougars out-aced the Mavericks four-to-two, but were outhit .272-to-.177 by the Mavericks.

The Cougars will look to get a quality win on Saturday when they go to the Gangelhoff Center in St. Paul, Minn., to take on the No. 7 Concordia-St. Paul Golden Bears.

It was not until a 16-13 lead for the Mavericks that either team led by more than two points. The Cougars were able to get it back within two on the next rally, but a 6-0 run gave the Mavericks a sizable 22-14 lead. At set point for the Mavericks, the Cougars were capable of rattling off four straight points, but the Mavericks were able to take the first set 25-20.

Another tooth-and-nail battle ensued in the early goings of the second set. With Springer tying the set at 9-9 with a kill. The Mavericks started a game of runs with a 5-1 run that the Cougars were able to counter with a 5-1 run of their own, making it a 17-16 Mavericks lead. The Mavericks then finished the set by taking eight of the last 12 rallies in seal the 25-20 set two victory to go ahead 2-0 in the match.

The Mavericks started the set on a 9-4 run that proved to be the turning point in the match, as the Cougars were able to get back to within one of the Mavericks with four straight points. Both teams went back-and-forth, but it was the Mavericks who were able to squeak out of the set with the 25-23 victory and the 3-0 match win.