Box Score

MARSHALL Minn. - The No. 14-ranked Southwest Minnesota State volleyball team put together a season-high .406 hitting performance and had three hitters in double figure kills to roll past Mary 3-0 (25-12, 25-13, 25-20) Saturday afternoon in Marshall, Minn.

SMSU  improves to 12-5 (2-3 NSIC), while Mary drops to 6-11 (0-6 NSIC).

Devin Diedrich was the driving force behind a three-way hitting attack for the Mustangs as the sophomore finished with a match-high 15 kills.  Tory Brouwer and Mary Groth were parts two and three as they finished with 11 and 10 kills, respectively.

Cara Carson dished out a match-high 34 assists, and Sara Graf added 11 for the Mustangs.

Tomomi Sakurai dug up a match-high 15 balls for SMSU in the win.

SMSU's scorching offensive campaign began immediately as the Mustangs recorded a .406 hitting percentage in the opening set.  The performance allowed SMSU to establish a double-digit lead late and score the final three points of the set, two of which came from Brooke Burmeister kills.

The hitting, however, would only heat up for SMSU; a .548 average for the ensuing set was lights out for the Marauders.  The Mustangs rode another double-digit lead to the closing points, using kills from Diedrich and Brouwer to move ahead 2-0.

U-Mary nearly avoided the sweep with a late surge in the final set, nudging the Mustangs by getting with two late at 22-20.  But Diedirch went to work, smashing three kills in the next three points to give SMSU the victory.

The Marauder offense failed to land a hitter in double figures in the kills column.  Amanda Hennesy was closest with eight.  Anna Silha also had 11 assists for U-Mary.

The .406 hitting performance by SMSU ranks fifth all-time in school history.

SMSU is back in action on Tuesday when the Mustangs host Winona State in a 7 p.m.  conference tilt.