BOX SCORE

DENVER, Colo. – No. 10 Southwest Minnesota State fell short in its quest of the Colorado Premier Challenge Championship. The Mustangs lost to No. 19 Wayne State in four sets by scores of 25-20, 21-25, 23-25 and 22-25. Southwest Minnesota State falls to 7-1 on the season while Wayne State improves to 8-0.

Brooke Burmeister had a huge game for SMSU recording 24 kills, two short of her career-high. Burmeister did reach a career-high in the match. The sophomore was 24 of 38 for a .500 hitting percentage. Her previous career-high hitting percentage was .458.

Cara Carson also set a new career-high in tonight's match. Carson put up 56 assists tonight, passing her previous high by two.

The Mustangs took an early led in the first set. But the Wildcats fought back to tie the score 13-13. The two teams stayed within a point of each other until Devin Diedrich gave SMSU an 18-15 lead. Southwest Minnesota State would not lose the lead on its way to a 25-20 victory in the first set.

Diedrich played with fire in the first set igniting the Mustangs with seven kills. Diedrich recorded a .353 hitting percentage in the first set. Burmeister and Groth supplied four kills in the first set for SMSU. Setter Carson came up with two solo and one block assist midway through the first set that gave the Mustangs momentum.

Southwest Minnesota State got behind 2-8 early in the second set. The Mustangs started the comeback with big kills by Groth and Burmeister. With the score at 8-13 Brigetta Berg kept the comeback alive with her first kill of the match.

Behind the strong arms of Diedrich and Burmeister the Mustangs fired back to within two 16-18. SMSU couldn't quite come all the way back dropping the set 21-25. Through the second set Burmeister was 8 of 11 for .727 percent.

The third set started out with the two teams going point-for-point until Wayne State fired off a six point rally to take a 9-16 lead. Groth stopped the flurry of Wildcat points with her 10th kill of the match. Burmeister got the Mustangs within two points 17-19 with her 14th kill on the evening.

With Diedrich serving, the Mustangs made a huge comeback scoring three consecutive points to come within one point at 22-23. The Wildcats went on to win the third set 23-25.

SMSU and Wayne State went toe-for-toe to begin the fourth set. With the score tied 13-13 Diedrich got above the net and made a huge block to put SMSU up by one. The Mustangs dropped the final set 20-25 and lost its first match of the season.

Southwest Minnesota State was out-blocked 16 to seven tonight and wasn't able to come all the way back in the final two sets.

Mary Groth, Brooke Burmeister and Devin Diedrich were named to the Colorado Premier Challenge All-Tournament team. Diedrich was also named Most Valuable Player of the tournament.

Southwest Minnesota State will open up NSIC action on Tuesday, Sept. 14 when they travel to Fayette, Iowa to take on Upper Iowa at 7 p.m.