MSU Box Score
UNK Box Score

ABERDEEN, S.D. – The Northern State volleyball program split with a pair of nationally ranked squads this afternoon in non-conference tournament action at the Nebraska-Kearney New Victorian Inn & Suites/Runza Fall Classic.  The Wolves began the day by knocking off No. 13 Minnesota State 3-1 (25-17, 22-25, 26-24, 25-19) before falling 3-1 to the host and second-ranked Lopers (17-25, 25-19, 16-25, 22-25).

The win marked the first time NSU had beaten a ranked team since, ironically, knocking off No. 14 Minnesota State on Nov. 13, 2009 at home.
 
With the split, NSU improves to 4-2 on the season after opening the 2012 campaign with a 3-1 at home last weekend.  Minnesota State suffered its first loss of the season and stood at 4-1 overall following the opening match.  The Mavericks are slated to take on St. Cloud State to close out the day.  UNK ran its season mark to an unblemished 6-0.
 
Freshmen Kelsey Chambers and Jussy Tuscherer paced the offensive effort in the opener.  Chambers threw down 13 kills without an error on 25 attacks, while Tuscherer added another ten.  The Wolves also posted nine total blocks, part of a defensive effort that forced the Mavericks into 30 total errors at the net and just a .097 attack percentage.
 
Chambers had four of those blocks, as did middle blockers Cari McGarvie and Chelsea Chavez.  Sami Nygaard posted 16 digs, while the Wolves welcomed senior Ella Campbell back to the lineup with 14 digs.
 
Match number two saw another concerted effort from the Wolves, who committed just 17 errors at the net in the four-set match, but fell 12 kills and a service ace shy of the Lopers' benchmark.  Chambers and sophomore Macey Finizio put down 11 kills apiece for the Wolves.
 
Chavez led another solid front line defensive effort, finishing with five blocks.  Finizio, McGarvie and freshman setter Drew Smith – who also had a career-best 41 assists – added three blocks apiece, part of ten total NSU stuffs.
 
NSU head coach Brent Aldridge, who wouldn't take a moral victory, liked the competitive edge his team showed against the ranked squads.  “We played well,” he said.  “We're young and still making errors, but we're competing.”
 
The Wolves close out the weekend on Saturday by taking on Truman State – which is receiving votes in the latest AVCA poll – and unranked Maryville.