Box Score

WAYNE, Neb. - No. 18 Wayne State broke away from a 13-13 tie in the fifth set and scored the final two points of the match to pick up a 3-2 (25-22, 24-26, 20-25, 25-22, 15-13) conference victory over No. 15 Southwest Minnesota State Saturday in Wayne, Neb.

WSC, which picked up its second win over the Mustangs this season, moves to 23-4 (11-2 NSIC), while SMSU drops to 19-7 (9-5 NSIC).

The Mustangs led the match 2-1 before the host Wildcats held off a late run from SMSU in the fourth set to force a fifth.  SMSU led by as many as three in the final set before WSC surged back to a 13-13 tie.  Two Mustang mistakes that followed accounted for the final points of the match.

Brooke Burmeister had a monster match for the Mustangs offensively as she recorded a career-high 26 kills to go along with a career-high .458 hitting percentage.

Burmeister anchored a foursome of SMSU hitters who managed double-figure kills in the marathon match.  Devin Diedrich and Tory Brouwer each finished with 19 kills, while Crissi Schewe tallied 11.  Schewe also added 14 digs to post the match's lone double-double.

Sara Graf had 54 assists, despite playing just four of five sets.

Kenzie Niesche dug up a match- and career-high 37 balls and was one of five Mustang defenders in double figures in digs.

After dropping the first set, SMSU forced extra points in the ensuing set to even the match at 1-1.

An 8-2 run midway through the third set was the lead-building effort the Mustangs needed to take a five-point set victory and 2-1 match advantage.

But the Wildcats rallied, immediately taking a lead they held the entire fourth set.  WSC managed to hold of a 5-1 run by SMSU late in the set to force a fifth.

In a tight final set, the Wildcats rallied from a 12-9 deficit to tie the set at 13-13.  A pair of SMSU errors proved fatal as WSC squeaked out the match win.

The Mustangs bettered the Wildcats in kills, hitting percentage, digs and blocks in the loss.

Jennifer Hefner's 20 kills and Tali Fredrickson's 30 digs led WSC.  Diedra Artz also had a match-high 56 assists for the Wildcats.

SMSU is at home next weekend, hosting Minnesota Duluth and Bemidji State.