VALLEY CITY – No. 23-ranked Bellevue University went on the road and defeated Valley City State University in four sets Friday night during North Star Athletic Association volleyball action.

Bellevue won set one, 25-13, before the Vikings rallied to even the match with a 25-23 win in set two. The Bruins closed out the match with 25-20 and 25-23 victories.

Valley City State University drops to 11-10 overall and 5-5 in the NSAA. Bellevue improves to 23-7 overall and 9-3 in conference play. VCSU dropped both meetings with Bellevue this season in four sets.

Bellevue outhit the Vikings .197 to .127. The Vikings were also hampered by 17 serving errors and only five aces. Bellevue served nine aces and had just nine serving errors. VCSU tallied 10 team blocks and the Bruins had eight.

The Bruins dominated set one, playing in-system volleyball most of the way as they hit .367 and tallied 13 kills in the 25-13 victory.

The Vikings battled back in set two as they hit .310 and had 13 kills. VCSU led by as many as six points in set two at 18-12. Bellevue rallied to within one point at 24-23 before the Vikings converted on their third set point, getting a kill by Paige Benson to take the set.

Leading 10-9 in set three, Bellevue created some separation with six straight points to go up 16-9. The Vikings got to within two points, 21-19, before Bellevue scored four of the final five points. Maddie Squiers finished the set off with an ace to seal the 25-20 win.

The teams were back and forth early in set four. The Bruins were able to create some separation, building a 23-18 lead. The Vikings stormed back to within 24-23, but the Bruins finished off the match with a big block by Hope Lambrecht and Michaela Gardner.

Bellevue libero Taylor Holz was all over the floor Friday night and led all players with 22 digs. Setter Maddie Squiers had 40 assists, four kills and four aces. Hope Lambrecht led the Bruin attack with 11 kills and four block points. Gardner and Mikayla Gillespie each had nine kills.

VCSU's middles had big nights as Clarissa Olson led the Vikings with nine kills and five block assists. McKinley Putnam posted eight kills and four block assists.

Leah Ruter had 19 assists and two aces, and Rowan Garcia added 16 assists. Hailie Wilds led the defense with 16 digs and added two aces. Autumn Johnson had a solo block and five block assists.

Up next: Valley City State hosts Presentation College at 1 p.m. Saturday. Bellevue University travels to Mayville State on Saturday.