Box Score

Photo Gallery

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Devin Diedrich killed a match-high 22 balls and Kenzie Niesche recorded a match-high 30 digs as No. 15 Southwest Minnesota State picked up a 3-1 (20-25, 25-19, 25-23, 25-17) conference victory over Augustana Friday night in Sioux Falls, S.D.

SMSU improves to 19-6 (9-4 NSIC), while Augie falls to 11-13 (6-6 NSIC).

Diedrich was hardly the only Mustang to impress offensively. Brooke Burmeister had a career night from her outside hitter spot as she tallied 16 kills.

Cara Carson dished out a career-high 48 assists to go along with 19 digs and seven kills. Brittany Wenzel added 18 digs.

SMSU was mistake-laden offensively in the opening set, recording 11 attack errors and allowing the Vikings to break away from a 19-19 tie. Four of those attack errors followed the tie-breaking effort from the Vikings; the mistakes paired with a botched SMSU serve and kill from Ellen Andrews allowed a five-point set victory for Augie.

It took half a set for the Mustangs to regroup, and it wasn't until Brigetta Berg and Tory Brouwer teamed up for a block that SMSU finally grabbed a lead in the second set. The 15-14 advantage proved to be enough as the Mustangs posted a 25-19 set win.

After taking as large as a six-point lead in the third set, SMSU had to avoid an Augie surge to take a 2-1 match advantage. The Vikings closed the gap and tied the set at 23 apiece before Diedrich smashed a pair of kills to lift her Mustangs to the two-point set victory.

Aiming to avoid a forced fifth set, SMSU charged ahead with a 9-1 run early in the fourth and final set. Another 5-1 surge just moments later proved too much for the host Vikings as the Mustangs charted a 25-17 set victory to take the match.

SMSU is again on the road tomorrow when the Mustangs face Wayne State at 5 p.m.