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GOLDEN, Colo. — The Crusaders kept battling to overcome adversity and score their first win of the season.

After a heartbreaking day and two five-set losses against two Top-20 ranked foes on Friday, the 20^th-ranked Northwest Nazarene volleyball team ran into a buzz-saw in Minnesota State-Mankato on Saturday, falling 25-13, 25-23, 25-14.

Still looking for the first win of the season, the Crusaders regrouped quickly and topped Colorado Christian 25-19, 19-25, 25-20, 25-20 to wrap up play at the Courtyard and Residence Inn by Marriott Oredigger Volleyball Classic hosted by the Colorado School of Mines.

"We ran into a motivated and excited Mankato team this morning and they beat us pretty good," said NNU head volleyball coach Doug English of the Mavericks, who were unbeaten in the tournament with one match remaining Saturday evening.

"In the afternoon our middles, Jenna Caywood and Madi Farrell, played great and Hailey Cook did a good job getting them the ball," NNU's coach added of the Colorado Christian match. "That, along with our passing, helped us pull it out."

Farrell had 14 kills while Caywood added 11 in the first win of the season for NNU (1-3), while Kendra Bodine added 11 kills and 11 digs and Taylor VanValey had 10 kills for the Crusaders, who clicked in all facets of the game.

Along with an impressive hitting match, Cook dished out 46 assists at setter and added 11 digs, and libero Linnea Phillips came up with 32 digs in the victory.

A Bodine kill snapped an 8-8 tie in the opening set against the Cougars (1-3) and sparked a 12-4 run, capped by another Bodine kill, that put the Crusaders on top 20-12 en route to a first-set win.

After seeing Colorado Christian even the match with a second-set victory, NNU pulled away late in the third set as a Farrell kill followed by one by Bodine stretched a 20-19 edge to 22-19, and sent the Crusaders on their way.

A pair of Caywood kills in the fourth set put NNU on top 15-11, and the Crusaders were never seriously threatened, finishing off their first victory of the season.

In the opener, NNU tried to stave off the Mavericks stampede, taking a 23-22 lead on an Elayna Rice kill late in the second set, only to see Minnesota State-Mankato score the next three points to grab the closest set of the match.

A tough match for NNU as Caywood had seven kills to lead the offense, Phillips' 10 digs led the defense and Cook dished out 22 assists for the Crusaders, who return to action Thursday when they take on No. 11-ranked BYU-Hawaii in the GNAC/Pac West Crossover Tournament hosted by Central Washington.