The UMC Golden Eagle Volleyball team played its best match of the season, but came up short in a 3-2 (18-25, 25-21, 23-25, 25-19, 15-11) loss to the #17-ranked University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs in a Northern Sun Conference match played at Lysaker Gym in Crookston.
SET ONE –
Duluth jumped out to a 4-1 lead before Crookston responded with a 6-1 run of their own behind three Madison Carsten (Jr. Wadena) kills and a kill from Carizma Muth (Soph. Randolph, Wis) along with a Duluth error, and an Emma Malek (Jr. Plainfield, Ill) kill for a 7-5 lead, forcing the Bulldogs into a timeout. A few points later, Crookston had a 12-10 lead when Malek had a kill, followed by two Carsten kills for a 15-10 lead. After a Duluth point and a service error, UMC’s Carsten served an ace, added another kill for an 18-11 lead. Duluth battled back and went on a 7-1 run to get within a 20-18 deficit. The Bulldogs had an attack error, and Carsten followed with three straight kills for a 24-18 lead. Duluth had an attack error on the next point, and Crookston won the set 25-18.
SET TWO-
Crookston started the set on a 3-0 run behind two Muth aces and a Duluth attack error. UMC led 4-1 when Duluth went on a 6-0 run for a 7-4 lead. Duluth led 11-7 when UMC battled back with a 7-2 run with three kills from Carsten, and one kill each from Muth and Lexi Scharold (Soph. Alexandria, Kentucky), for a 14-13 lead. Duluth answered with five straight points to take an 18-14 lead. Crookston battled back to get within a 21-20 deficit before Duluth ended the set on a 4-1 run to win 25-21 to tie the match at 1-1.
SET THREE-
The third set was another good battle as there were ties at 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, and 23. Crookston ended the set with a Muth kill and an ace to win 25-23 to take a 2-1 lead.
SET FOUR–
Duluth started the set with the first two points after a UMC attack error and a kill by Mollie Rupp (Fresh. Bemidji), the daughter of Stephanie (Boll) Rupp, a Crookston High School graduate. Crookston responded with three points on a kill by Carsten, a Kailee Waasdorp (Jr. West Fargo, ND), and a kill by Abbi Ernster (Fresh. La Crescent, MN) for a 3-2 lead. The teams were tied at 3, 7, and 8, and Crookston took a 9-8 lead after a Muth kill. Duluth answered with five straight points for a 13-9 lead. Duluth led 16-13 when they went on another 5-0 run for a 21-13 lead. Duluth held on the rest of the way to win the set 25-19 to tie the match at 2-2.
SET FIVE-
Duluth jumped out to a 3-0 lead and then had a 5-2 lead before Crookston tied the set at 5-5 after three Bulldog attack errors. Duluth slowly built a 12-8 lead, and it looked like they were starting to pull away before they had a service error and an attack error, and Crookston trailed 12-10. The teams exchanged points, and Crookston trailed 13-11 after a Carsten kill. Duluth went to their big 6’1 hitter, Kylie Broten (Sr., Luck, Wis), who hammered two big-time kills to win the set 15-11 and the match 3-2.
Crookston drops to 6-12 overall and 0-10 in the NSIC and will travel to take on the Bemidji State Beavers on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. Duluth improves to 15-2 overall and 8-2 in the NSIC and will play MSU-Moorhead on Saturday.
Click below to listen to UMC Coach Nick Messick’s post-match comments.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| Duluth | 18 | 25 | 23 | 25 | 15 |
| UMC | 25 | 21 | 25 | 19 | 11 |
FOR UMC-
KIlls – Madison Carsten-26 , Carizma Muth-12, Lexi Scharold-12
Assists – Dana Melby-25, Ellery Ehresmann-25
Digs – Kailee Waasdorp-28, Carizma Muth-21, Madison Carsten-16
Blocks – Carizma Muth-2, Lexi Scharold-2, Madison Carsten-1
Aces – Carizma Muth-4, Madison Carsten-1, Emma Malek-1
