Mavericks Volleyball Drop First Game of Season to St. Cloud State
MANKATO, Minn. – The Minnesota State volleyball team (10-1, 2-1 NSIC) dropped its first match of the season Tuesday, Sept. 23 falling 3-1 to No. 15 St. Cloud State (8-3, 3-0 NSIC) at the Taylor Center.
Mary Satori led the Mavericks with a season-high 17 kills on .310 hitting, adding two aces, nine digs, and finishing with 19.5 points. Emily Kern was a force in the middle, hitting .333 with 11 kills and a team-best five blocks. Setter Jadyn Lester guided the offense with 45 assists while contributing five kills, nine digs, and a block. Defensively, libero Ellie Kline was outstanding, posting a match-high 29 digs, while outside hitter Avery Klein added 12 kills, nine digs, and three blocks. Rounding out the balanced attack, Avery Rosenberg chipped in nine kills and two timely blocks.
The opener set the tone for a hard-fought match, as the two sides traded points through ten ties in the first half. Minnesota State leaned on early kills from Satori and Kern, with Kline holding strong in the back row to keep rallies alive. But a few untimely service errors combined with a late push from St. Cloud allowed the Huskies to create separation and close out the frame 25-20, despite Satori’s five kills in the set.
Minnesota State continued to apply pressure in the second frame, using Satori and Klein on the pins to keep St. Cloud’s block guessing. Lester spread the offense effectively while Kern provided quick points in the middle. Kline extended rallies with several difficult digs, but the Huskies held firm down the stretch, once again edging out the Mavericks 25-20.
Minnesota State came out determined in the third set and put together its most complete stretch of the night. Lester steered the offense with precision, finding Satori, Rosenberg, and Klein for a steady flow of kills that kept the Huskies on their heels. Kern and Klein combined for a key block to spark momentum, while Kline continued her outstanding work in the back row, covering tips and digging out St. Cloud’s hardest swings to extend rallies. Those defensive stops turned into offense, as Kern and Satori each delivered timely points during a 6-2 Maverick run that gave MSU control at 20-16. From there, Minnesota State never looked back, with Rosenberg slamming down the final kill to cap a 25-19 victory that breathed life back into the match.
The fourth set unfolded as a back-and-forth battle with neither side giving an inch. Minnesota State relied on powerful swings from Kern and Satori to stay even early, while Klein added timely kills to keep the Mavericks within reach. Kline’s defensive presence stood out once again, extending rallies for MSU. As the frame tightened, Rosenberg fired off consecutive kills to tie the score at 21-21, and Satori followed with another to even it again at 23-23. With momentum hanging in the balance, the Mavericks pressed to force a fifth set, but the Huskies capitalized on the final two points to escape with a 25-23 win and the match.
Minnesota State looks to bounce back Friday, Sept. 26, when the Mavericks travel to Aberdeen, S.D., to face No. 18 Northern State at Wachs Arena. First serve is set for 6 p.m., with live coverage available on the NSIC Network.
