The University of Minnesota Crookston (UMC) Golden Eagles Volleyball team dropped their second straight match in a 3-0 loss against Sioux Falls in an NSIC match played in the Stewart Center.
Sioux Falls wasted little time setting the tone in the opening set. The Cougars used back-to-back aces to take a 4-2 lead in set one. Following a Deaira Gresham (Jr., Maplewood) kill that trimmed the Golden Eagles’ deficit down to one, Sioux Falls won the next three points to take a 7-3 lead. A kill by Porsha Porath (Soph., Windom) pulled UMC within 11-7, but the Cougars won the next five points taking a 16-7 lead and cruised the rest of the set winning 25-11.
Sioux Falls jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the second set before a pair of Cougars’ attacking errors cut the Golden Eagles’ deficit down to 4-2. A kill by Melissa Rodriguez (Sr., Sarchi Sur, Costa Rica) brought Minnesota Crookston within 8-5, but Sioux Falls responded by winning the next five points to take a 13-5 lead. The Cougars used back-to-back aces to increase their advantage to 16-6. Sioux Falls continued to dominate the rest of the set, taking a 2-0 lead winning the middle frame 25-15.
The Golden Eagles showed more fight in the third set, but not before the Cougars took a 4-1 lead. A kill by Porsha Porath, followed by a USF attack error, brought Minnesota Crookston within 4-3. Sioux Falls countered with five consecutive points increasing the host’s lead to 9-3. Trailing 20-16, Lauren Wallace (R-Soph., Bloomington) hammered a spike for a kill before an attack error by Sioux Falls trimmed the Golden Eagles’ deficit down to 20-18. Sioux Falls won four straight points before closing out their sweep with a Minnesota Crookston serving error, giving the Cougars a 25-19 third set win.
Minnesota Crookston falls to 4-14 overall and 2-8 in the NSIC. The Golden Eagles continue their road trip on Saturday when they travel to Marshall to take on #12 Southwest Minnesota State at 2:00 P.M. Sioux Falls improves to 13-5.
| Box Score | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| UMC | 11 | 15 | 19 |
| U of Sioux Falls | 25 | 25 | 25 |
For UMC
Kills – Deaira Gresham – 8, Lauren Wallace – 6, Porsha Porath – 6
Blocks – Kaitlin Sikkink – 3, Porsha Porath – 3
Assists – Sydney Kruisselbrink – 17
Digs – Sydney Kruisselbrink – 9, Lauren Wallace – 7, Alyssa Thomas – 6
Aces – Sydney Kruisselbrink – 1
