Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

GOLDEN, Colo. – Close just wasn't good enough for a determined Crusader squad Saturday in Colorado.

A day after nearly upending host and No. 18 Colorado School of Mines, the Northwest Nazarene volleyball team got a second chance against a Top 25-foe, and this time pulled off a dramatic 19-25, 23-25, 25-23, 25-23, 15-11 victory over 20^th-ranked Wayne State (Neb.).

The Crusaders then capped their weekend at the Courtyard and Residence Inn by Marriott Oredigger Volleyball Classic with a 25-19, 25-20, 25-17 sweep of Minnesota State-Mankato.

"It was a great team effort from everyone today," said NNU head coach Doug English, whose team finished the weekend 3-1 overall, beating Augustana (S.D.) on Friday, a team receiving votes in the preseason Top 25.

"Going 3-1 against the competition we played is a huge start to the season we want to have."

The key match was Saturday's opener, a battle against the unbeaten Wildcats who cruised to the first-set win and thwarted a late comeback by the Crusaders in the second set.

After a tandem block by Kendra Bodine and Andrea Terpstra tied it, 23-23, but Michaela Mestl and Katie Hughes provided a kill each for Wayne State, giving the Wildcats a commanding edge in the match.

But not insurmountable, as the Crusaders rallied late in the third set, tying it 23-23 once again, this time on a Wildcat ball-handling error before setter Michelle Terpstra provided a key kill then teamed with her sister, Andrea, and the two finished off the set with a tandem block.

Wayne State tried to steal away the Crusaders momentum, jumping up 10-6 on an Elizabeth Gebhardt kill in the fourth, but NNU hung tough. The Crusaders took a 20-18 lead on an Andrea Terpstra kill, earned a set-point up 24-22 on a Kaitlyn Tuholski service ace, then evened the match on one of Andrea Terpstra's career-high 21 kills.

The fifth and decisive set was controlled by NNU, as the Crusaders used a 5-1 run to snapped an early 5-5 tie and complete the comeback and upset win.

Michelle Terpstra sparked the run with a kill before a tandem block each by Bodine and Madi Farrell then Bodine and Taylor VanValey. Bodine and VanValey each added a kill, finishing the charge that gave the Crusaders a commanding 10-6 lead.

"Vay (VanValley) came off the bench this morning and played well," English said of the junior middle blocker who had seven kills and a block in the win.

"Andy Terpstra was huge attacking and blocking all day," English added as Terpstra added seven blocks in the match.

"Taylor Roberts played the best weekend I have seen her play," English said of NNU's senior libero, who had a career-high 35 digs in the upset of the Wildcats.

Michelle Terpstra added one more career-best effort in the win with her 54 assists, while adding 12 digs.

Tuholski added 11 kills and 22 digs and Bodine had 12 kills in the upset, the first over a ranked foe by the Crusaders since Oct. 13, 2011, when NNU beat then-No. 19 Seattle Pacific in Seattle, Wash., 17-25, 20-25, 25-23, 25-23, 15-12.

The Crusaders then wrapped up the weekend with a commanding win over the Mavericks, using a 4-1 late run highlighted by an Andrea Terpstra kill and an Elayna Rice solo block to close out the first set.

A Farrell solo block capped a 5-1 NNU surge in the second set that put the Crusaders on top 20-14, on their way to another set win, then kills from Michelle and Andrea Terpstra and Bodine were part of a 6-1 push in the third set, giving NNU a 15-9 lead and sending them on their way to the sweep.

Andy Terpstra again led the way with 13 kills, Tuholski added seven kills and 11 digs, Michelle Terpstra added 32 assists and Roberts made 15 digs for the Crusaders, who are back on the road next weekend playing at the GNAC/Pac West Crossover Tournament hosted by California Baptist on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.