Mistakes reared its ugly head once again.
The No. 20 University of Minnesota Duluth committed 38 errors Tuesday night in a three-set loss to Minnesota State University, Mankato at Romano Gymnasium. The Bulldogs continue to search for their first win of the season at home as they dropped to 8-6 overall and 1-5 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play. The Mavericks squeezed out narrow margins in all three sets (25-23, 25-22, 25-22) to improve to 11-3 overall and 3-3 in NSIC action.
Six service errors in the first set hampered UMD from the get-go despite ripping 17 kills and hitting .325 for the set. The Bulldogs carried a 12-7 lead at one point in the first set. That lead disappeared at 17-all off a service error and a Maverick kill. UMD battled back to 20-20, but like most of its sets during the losing skid, failed to close out the set.
Playing mistake-free volleyball wasn't in the cards in the second set. Seven hitting errors, three more service errors, a serve reception error and a ball-handling error placed the Bulldogs in a place with little to no room for error. Unfortunately, UMD was unsuccessful in serving with the lead. All three service errors occurred with a lead and squashed any momentum. The Bulldogs did lead 19-15, but like the first, had that small advantage evaporate late in the set. Minnesota State ended the frame on a 5-0 run to steal the second and take a 2-0 lead heading to intermission.
UMD, metaphorically speaking, continued to play with one hand tied behind its back in the third. Fourteen more errors including a set-high 11 hitting errors aided the final unraveling. Unlike the first two sets, the Bulldogs played from behind early. They didn't go quietly and showed some fight and grit. Trailing by six at 13-7, UMD crept all the way back and briefly tied the third set at 20. However, another service error sucked the remaining time left as the Mavericks were able to tie up the loose ends despite notching 10 hitting errors themselves in the final frame.
Graduate outside hitter
Cianna Selbitschka racked up 12 kills to pace the Bulldogs. She was one dig shy of gathering her eighth double-double. Graduate libero
Kaylyn Madison led all players with 29 digs, one short of tying her season high. Senior defensive specialist
Kiley Nihart posted eight digs, which was the most recorded by the Medford, Minn., native this season. Sophomore middle blocker
Kylie Broten amassed four of the club's seven blocks on the night.
The Bulldogs hit .154 for the match, the lowest total in a three-set match this season. They were also held without an ace for the first time all season. UMD did register 66 digs and 143 attacks, both season-highs for a three-set match.
Avery Klein paced both clubs with 13 kills. She also added four digs and three blocks. Jadyn Lester tallied nine assists, a team-high 15 digs and a back-breaking three aces for the Mavericks, who snapped their two-match losing streak and won their second straight match at Romano.
UMD will look to shake off its four-match losing streak on Friday as it ventures south to Wayne, Neb., to take on No. 6 Wayne State College. The opening serve of that NSIC contest will begin at 6:00 p.m. at the Rice Auditorium.
