Box Score

BISMARCK, N.D.:  Devin Diedrich had 15 kills to lead No. 8 Southwest Minnesota State to a 3-0 (25-12, 25-12, 25-14) conference win over the University of Mary Saturday afternoon in Bismarck, N.D.

SMSU improves to 15-2 (4-1, NSIC), while Mary drops to 3-15 (1-5, NSIC).

Diedrich terminated her match-high 15 balls on just 20 attemps for a season-high and sparkling .700 hitting percentage.

Tory Brouwer just missed double digits in kills with nine.  Four Mustangs had five kills or more.

Sara Graf directed an efficient SMSU offense and finished with a match-high 39 assists.  Sarah Quiram had a match-high 15 digs on the afternoon.

After a 3-3 tie to open the first set, SMSU went on an 8-0 run, with Quiram serving all eight points in the Mustang scoring spurt.  SMSU used strong hitting to widen the gap to double digits and win the set.  The Mustangs killed 17 balls on 28 swings for a .500 hitting percentage en route to the set victory.

SMSU came out swinging in the second set, carrying the momentum it built in the previous set.  Hard hitting from the Mustangs kept Mary at a comfortable distance throughout, and SMSU again put together a double-digit lead that the Marauders failed to break into.

A suffocating barrage of hard-hit balls from SMSU's big hitters in the third and final set was all SMSU needed to sweep the host Marauders.

SMSU held Mary to just 21 kills a .081 hitting percentage for the match.

The Mustangs had one of their most efficient hitting performances of the season, finishing with a .402 hitting percentage as a team.

The Mustangs finish off their three-match road series on Tuesday when they travel to Winona State to take on the Warriors at 7 p.m. in a conference match.