BISMARCK, N.D. -- Bismarck State volleyball won on Senior Day, beating Mayville State 3-1 (25-21, 21-25, 25-17, 25-23) on Saturday afternoon at the Bavendick Center in front of a rowdy crowd littered with costume-goers ready to celebrate Halloween.
The win improves BSC to 12-13 overall and 10-10 in Frontier Conference play and extends its winning streak to two matches. Mayville State falls to 2-23 overall and 2-18 in the Frontier. The teams split the season series after the Comets won the first meeting 3-1 on Oct. 2.
The sweep of the weekend's home series locks up the first Frontier Conference Tournament berth in program history for the Mystics. The team can no longer be caught and has secured at least the seventh seed, and can now leapfrog their way as high as sixth with a pair of wins next weekend. The eight-team tournament begins with quarterfinals on Thursday, Nov. 12, in Helena, Mont., with BSC currently slated to face the No. 2 seed, Montana Tech, if the standings hold.
"[The Frontier tournament] is what we've been working towards all season," said senior Shayna Roach. "We talk about it every single day, and now that it's finally here, we are so pumped to show up and show people what we're made of."
Senior Day
Bismarck State honored seniors Shayna Roach, Paige McAllister and Piper Harris prior to today's first serve, in what was their final home match at BSC.
"We come to practice every day. We have each other's backs. I'll be having a bad day otherwise, and I come, and all the girls know how to put a smile on my face. I'm going to miss everybody a lot," said McAllister. "It's super fun to see the community come together, and the win is the cherry on top."
"Every year has been so different but so enjoyable in its own unique way, so I'm really grateful for all the years I've been here," said Harris.
"It's hard to put into words. Coming in, it was scary, but being able to find my best friends and have a great time every single day has been amazing," said Roach.
Set One: Hogan's Serve Sparks the Opener
The set was tied nine times with three lead changes. After a 12-12 tie, Bismarck State scored six straight points, five of them on Aislyn Hogan's serve, to lead 18-12. The Comets got no closer than three points the rest of the way, and the Mystics closed out a 25-21 win. BSC hit .096 in the set, and Mayville State hit -.083 (seven kills, 11 errors).
Set Two: Comets Even It Up
The set was tied seven times with three lead changes. Mayville State scored six straight points, five of them on Danica Hanson's serve, to lead 15-9 and led by as many as seven. The Mystics pulled within 20-17 on three straight points and again within 24-21, but the Comets closed out a 25-21 win. Mayville State hit .283 in the set to BSC's .196.
Set Three: Duchsherer Serves a Run
Bismarck State trailed 6-4, then scored five straight points, four of them on Reese Duchsherer's serve, including three aces, to lead 9-6. The Mystics led 21-15 and finished the set with a 25-17 win. BSC hit .158 in the set to Mayville State's .095.
Set Four: Sand Serves the Mystics Home
The Mystics trailed 17-14 late but scored eight straight points, seven of them on Brooklyn Sand's serve, including two aces, to lead 22-17. Mayville State scored three straight to get within 23-22, but a Jordyn Rood kill pushed the lead back to 24-22 and a Duchsherer kill closed out a 25-23 win. BSC hit .333 in the set to the Comets' .212.
Mystics Key Performers
Game Notes
- Bismarck State hit .178 as a team (49 kills, 20 errors, 163 attempts). Mayville State hit .118 (48 kills, 28 errors, 169 attempts)
- The Mystics out-aced the Comets 8-6 and out-blocked them 7.0 to 5.0. Each team had 83 digs
- The match featured 20 ties and eight lead changes
- The Mystics close their first year at the Bavendick Center with an 8-4 home record
- BSC is now 10-10 in conference play, reaching the .500 mark for the first time since starting 5-4.
Looking Ahead
Bismarck State closes the regular season on the road:
- Thursday, Nov. 5 -- at Carroll (Mont.) - 7 p.m. CT // 6 p.m. MT // Helena, Mont. Lost to BSC 3-0 in previous meeting
- Friday, Nov. 6 -- at Rocky Mountain (Mont.) - 7 p.m. CT // 6 p.m. MT // Billings, Mont. Lost to BSC 3-1 in previous meeting
JV Notes
The Mystics' JV squad also took down Mayville State on Saturday prior to the varsity matchup, getting the win in three sets.
They close their schedule Friday, Nov. 6, at Rocky Mountain (Mont.) - 5 p.m. CT // 4 p.m. MT // Billings, Mont.
See the volleyball schedule for more information on how to watch, follow and attend the upcoming matches.
Be sure to visit BSCMystics.com and download the MysticNation app to continue to stay up to date with everything going on in Mystic Athletics.
FOLLOW THE MYSTICS
Facebook: @BSCMystics
Instagram: @gomystics
X: @BSCMystics
YouTube: @GoMystics
#GoMystics
