VALLEY CITY – The Valley City State volleyball team dropped its home finale Saturday against No. 20-ranked Bellevue, 25-18, 25-13 and 25-23.
 
The VCSU volleyball team also recognized its two seniors Bailey Nelson and Mardi Scutchings with a short ceremony before the game.
 
Bellevue tallied 12 block points and four service aces to help the Bruins to a road win. Bellevue improves to 21-8 overall and 7-4 in the conference while VCSU drops to 21-7 on the season and 7-3 in conference play.
 
Bellevue now sits one half-game behind VCSU in the conference standings. Bellevue has one conference game remaining in the regular season and is slated to host Mayville State on Friday. Valley City State plays two more conference games before the NSAA Postseason, traveling to Waldorf on Friday and No. 5 Viterbo on Saturday.
 
Bellevue played consistently throughout the match, opening with 14 kills including six from Allie Kerns in the first set. The Bruins then held the Vikings to a negative attack percentage in the second set with the help of six Bellevue blocks.
 
With the match on the line, VCSU posted its best set of the day with 16 kills in set three. VCSU took over with a 17-16 lead after scoring three straight points including a service ace from Sadie Hansen. The Vikings held on to lead 23-21 when Bellevue scored four straight points including a pair of kills by Kealy Kiviniemi to take the 3-0 match.
 
Danielle Hagler led VCSU with nine kills while Morgan Freije finished with eight, and the duo added three assisted blocks apiece. Bailey Nelson and Emma Lucas each chipped in six kills for the Vikings.

JayCee Richter posted 14 digs while Reagan Bogenrief recorded 12 and Delani Clarke added eight. Sadie Hansen finished with 29 set assists and eight digs for the Vikings.
 
Kerns led all players with 13 kills and Kiviniemi finished with 11 kills for Bellevue. Mila Aiwohi posted 21 set assists and Jada Nunn totaled 13. Defensively, Taylan Keefer recorded 20 digs for the Bruins and Morgan Wale added seven blocks (5 assisted, 2 solo) Saturday.
 
UP NEXT: VCSU travels to Waldorf on Friday, Nov. 3. First serve is at 7 p.m. in Forest City, Iowa. Bellevue hosts Mayville Friday at 5 p.m.