Box Score
CROOKSTON, Minn. -
Mary Groth recorded a match-high 15 kills and compiled a school record .714 hitting percentage to lead No. 14 Southwest Minnesota State to a 3-0 (25-16, 25-15, 25-10) conference victory over Minnesota, Crookston Saturday afternoon in Crookston, Minn.
SMSU improves to 15-5 (5-3 NSIC), while UMC drops to 3-16 (0-7 NSIC).
Groth's hitting percentage performance was tops for a Mustang in a single match in school history. She broke the previous record of .700 held by current Mustang
Devin Diedrich and Renne Barenz. The freshman didn't have a single error in 21 swings. She was the lone SMSU hitter in double figures in kills.
Cara Carson quarterbacked an efficient SMSU offense that finished with a season-high .420 hitting percentage. The sophomore setter collected 26 assists.
Sara Graf contributed 12.
A host of SMSU defenders accounted for a solid defensive effort; six different Mustangs finished with at least four digs.
The Mustangs opened with a 19-kill performance in the first set to build a comfortable lead that flirted with double figures. Four kills from SMSU's
Brooke Burmeister in the final six points of the set allowed the Mustangs to take a 1-0 match lead.
The second set marked the beginning of an unproductive hitting campaign from the Golden Eagles. UMC posted a -.028 hitting percentage, allowing the Mustangs to establish a double-figure lead that they retained to set point.
The Golden Eagle hitting woes continued as UMC posted another negative performance in the third and final set. A Graf kill to make it 20-10 marked another double-figure advantage for SMSU, and the Mustangs went ahead to score the final five points.
Crissi Schewe aced two serves in that final run.
SMSU recorded five service aces in the win; Schewe accounted for three of them--a career high for the freshman.
The Mustang offense proved to be too much for UMC as the Golden Eagles managed to get just one block out of their front line. SMSU had seven and held UMC to a .033 hitting percentage for the match.
SMSU will be on the road again next weekend when the Mustangs travel to Winona State and Upper Iowa for a pair of conference matches.
