MAYVILLE, N.D. – The Viking volleyball team picked up a much-needed conference win Wednesday night, going on the road and defeating Mayville State in four sets.

Valley City State dropped the first set, 25-17, but rallied with three straight wins by scores of 25-20, 25-23, 25-23.

The victory snaps a three-game losing streak – including two losses in five sets – as VCSU moves to 3-3 in the North Star Athletic Association and 9-10 overall. Mayville State drops to 10-11 overall and 1-5 in the NSAA.

The Vikings had their best hitting night of the season Wednesday, putting together a season-best .280 hitting percentage with 61 kills and only 19 errors. VCSU hit .347 over the final three sets. Four Vikings combined for 55 of VCSU's 61 kills, including a match-high 20 kills by senior Clarissa Olson.

Olson hit .439 for the match, totaling 20 kills and just two errors in 41 attacks. She also tallied three of VCSU's six block points. Sophomore Paige Benson hammered home 15 kills and hit .344, while McKinley Putnam hit .563 with 11 kills. Freshman Katie Juarez added nine kills for the Vikings.

Leah Ruter had team highs of 38 assists and two aces for the Vikings, while Charlotte Huschka had 24 digs to lead the back-row defense.

VCSU dropped set one, 25-17, but leaned heavily on Olson and Benson to start set two. The Vikings built 7-0 and 9-1 leads to start the second set as Olson and Benson combined for seven kills in VCSU's first nine points. Mayville State closed to within 21-19, but VCSU scored four of the final five points to end the set. Benson pounded home kills for VCSU's final two points, giving her seven kills in the set.

The teams went back and forth in the third set before the Vikings closed it out late. Tied 19-19, Putnam killed a ball to give the Vikings a 20-19 lead. A Mayville error followed by Reagan Ingstad's service ace put the Vikings up 22-19. Leading 24-23, Olson recorded set point with her 15th kill of the night.

Set four was more of the same as the Vikings and Comets traded leads. Mayville State was in position to force a fifth set after taking a 22-20 lead, but a kill by Olson and ace by Ruter sparked a 4-0 run to put VCSU up 24-22. Olson then finished the match with her 20th kill of the night for match point.

Mayville State hit .246 in the match, getting 16 kills from Hannah Bliss and 13 from Cassidy Miller.

Up next: Valley City State plays at Presentation College on Saturday, Oct. 6. The varsity match starts at 6 p.m. with junior varsity playing prior at 4 p.m.