Box Score SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Coming off their first Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference victory, the Minot State University volleyball team looked to pick up more steam and their second win in a row.

Regrettably, another slow start doomed the Beavers as they fell to conference foe University of Sioux Falls in four sets Friday night, 25-13, 23-25, 25-20, 25-20.

USF (11-11 overall 3-10 NSIC) was led by their two middle hitters, Samantha Lovell and Sarah Kohler, as each notched 14 kills throughout the match.

In set one MISU did not hit well as they made seven hitting errors compared to just six kills. The Cougars used that to their advantage as they cruised to an early 1-0 lead.

“They just played better than us starting the match,” said MISU head coach Travis Ward. “It's been an issue for us at times this season, and it was tonight.”

The Beavers played much better in set two, collecting 11 kills total as they evened things up at 1-1 going into intermission.

 Minot State came out of the break fired up, as they played their best set of the match totaling 14 kills while hitting for a .364 average. Despite the offensive outburst, it was not enough to take set three. In set four, MISU could not stop the Cougar attack as they hit for 16 kills to beat the Beavers.

“We didn't do enough defensively in game three,” said Ward. “Sioux Falls just executed their game plan better we executed ours; it's not magic. We need to rebound quickly and get ready to play another good team tomorrow.”

Freshman Mallory Sall (OH, Port Coquitlam, British Columbia) led Minot State (5-18 overall 1-12 NSIC) with 19 kills overall with a .277 hitting average. Setter Emily Byrne (So., Reno, Nev.) dished out 30 assists while also making 12 digs in the match.

The Beavers will travel north to Marshall, Minn. for a Saturday afternoon (3 p.m.) match with the nation's No. 1 ranked team, Southwest Minnesota State University.