#19 FSU Wins Two Matches To Open Minnesota-Duluth Classic

#19 FSU Wins Two Matches To Open Minnesota-Duluth Classic

Big Rapids, Mich. - The nationally 19th-ranked Ferris State University women's volleyball squad got off to a great start in the Minnesota-Duluth Classic by winning two matches on Friday (Sept. 7) in Duluth, Minn.

The Bulldogs defeated Minnesota-Crookston by a 3-1 score in the opening match on Friday afternoon followed by an identical 3-1 triumph over Bemidji State (Minn.) in match number two.

FSU defeated UM-Crookston by scores of 25-11, 25-18, 15-25 and 25-18.  Then, against Bemidji State, FSU was a 25-14, 23-25, 25-23 and 25-17 winner as they improved to 5-1 overall this campaign.

Senior outside hitter Aly Brecht tallied a team-high 10 kills in the win over Minnesota-Crookston.  Meanwhile, sophomore hitter Courtney Rehm notched 16 digs, junior libero Brandie Merren had 13 digs and senior setter Samantha Fordyce chipped in with 12 digs in addition to 34 assists.

Ferris State also received nine kills from senior middle hitter Anne Sutton while freshman outside hitter Megan Vander Meer and junior middle hitter Angi Kent totaled eight kills each as FSU racked up 46 kills and hit .282 in the match.

On the opposite side, the Golden Eagles were paced by Brittany Looker's match-high 16 kills.  Amanda Swann added 13 kills and 14 digs while Chelsea Wiesner netted 21 digs.  Minnesota-Crookston finished with 50 kills and a .210 attack percentage while also holding a slim 71-66 advantage in total digs.

Ferris State was helped by eight service aces in addition to 11 service errors by the Golden Eagles in the opener.  The win came at the expense of Minnesota-Crookston head coach Lee Anderson, who was formerly a Bulldog assistant under head coach Tia Brandel-Wilhelm in 2003 and 2004.

Both Brecht and Sutton had 10 kills each in the win over the Beavers in the second match of the day.  Rehm recorded a season-high 21 digs with Merren contributing 14 digs from the back row.  Fordyce posted 37 assits and seven digs in the winning effort.

The Bulldogs had only 44 kills compared to 54 for Bemidji State, but FSU hit .229 versus only a .150 showing for the Beavers.  The Bulldogs also had six team blocks and eight aces with BSU registering 14 service errors.  The Beavers did hold a 77-66 edge in total digs as Elissa Christensen and Bethany Thompson totaled 23 and 21, respectively.

Bemidji State was led by Thompson's 14 kills with Rachel Craig contributing 11 kills.

Ferris State wraps up action in the Minnesota-Duluth Classic with a pair of matches on Saturday (Sept. 8) at Romano Gymnasium.  FSU faces host and nationally sixth-ranked Minnesota-Duluth in an early showdown at 12 p.m. (ET) followed by a contest against Erskine (S.C.), which starts at 4 p.m. (ET).