SAVAGE, Minn. - Concordia-St. Paul (14-6, 1-1 NSIC) opened Northern Sun play with a key split against Minnesota State (16-6, 1-1), dropping the first game 5-1 before a 3-2 win in game two on Tuesday at Savage Sports Center. Concordia's nine game winning streak came to a close, as did senior Ashley Kluever (Cottage Grove, Minn.) consecutive scoreless inning streak. Senior Brynn Larsen (Oconto Falls, Wis.) hit a home run in each game for the Golden Bears.

GAME 1: Minnesota State 5, Concordia 1
Kluever surrendered a two-run home run with one out in the bottom of the second inning. The homer was the first time in 35.1 innings that an opponent was able to score against Kluever. The streak spanned parts of seven starts and included five complete game shutouts.

The two runs would be enough to defeat the Golden Bears, although the Mavericks would add a three-run homer against Kluever in the third inning as well as the long ball accounted for all of the runs against Kluever on the day.

She took the loss, stopping her personal winning streak at seven as she fell to 8-4. She struck out six while pitching a complete game (6.0 IP), allowing five hits.

Concordia's offense wasn't able to get going against MSU starter Brooke McElvogue who blanked the Golden Bears for five innings to improve to 9-4. The Golden Bears managed one hit against her.

In the seventh inning, Larsen delivered a solo home run to get Concordia on the scoreboard.

GAME 2: Concordia 3, Minnesota State 2
Larsen's seventh inning home run provided momentum for the Golden Bears going into game two, as freshman Teona Zepeda (Woodbury, Minn.) delivered a one-out triple in the first inning and scored on an RBI ground out to first base by freshman Jamie Fleischhacker (Maplewood, Minn.).

Sophomore right hander Stephanie Kappes (Circle Pines, Minn.) set down the Mavericks in order in the bottom of the inning and Larsen delivered a leadoff home run in the top of the second for a two run Golden Bear lead.

Although the Mavericks bit back with a solo homer to lead off the bottom of the second, Kappes would be superb with the lead. She struck out the next two MSU batters and stranded a runner on third base in the third inning. She went the distance to pick up her sixth victory (6-2), scattering eight hits with four strikeouts and no walks.

Concordia's offense would add another run in the fifth inning when sophomore Alicia Meiser (Circle Pines, Minn.) delivered a two-out RBI double to score Abby Foster (Waverly, Iowa).

The Golden Bears won despite being doubled-up on in hits by the Mavericks (8-4).

Larsen's two home run effort on the day bump her up to three on the season to lead the team. She also leads the team in hitting at .411 while Meiser is right behind her at .407. Meiser stole her team leading 20th base of the season in the first game.

Concordia continues conference play this weekend at Savage Sports Center against Bemidji State on Friday at 11:30 a.m. and Minnesota Crookston on Saturday at 7 a.m.