BOX SCORE

MARSHALL, Minn. – No. 9-ranked Southwest Minnesota State's Mary Groth came up with 18 kills helping the Mustangs to a sweep 25-16, 25-14, 26-24 over the University of Mary on Friday night in Marshall. SMSU, also ranked seventh in the Central Region rankings, improves to 20-6 overall on the season, including 14-3 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. U-Mary falls to 2-25 on the season, 1-16 in the NSIC

The SMSU volleyball team hosted a “Red Out” match to benefit and bring awareness to women's heart disease.

With the win, Southwest Minnesota State has had 20 or more wins in a season for nine straight seasons. This is the 22nd season in its 40-year history that an SMSU team has picked up 20 or more wins in a season.

The Mustangs fought through a tough block late in the match to earn a sweep over U-Mary. Alyssa Taylor was the only other Mustang in double-figures in kills finishing with 11. Brittany Wenzel led SMSU with 13 digs as the Mustangs used a team effort to keep the ball in play. All but one Mustang who saw action tonight recorded a dig in the match.

The two teams traded points early in the first set playing to an 8-8 tie. The Mustangs went on to grab five of the next seven points, including two kills by Groth, to take a 13-9 lead over the Marauders.

Taylor and Groth continued to give the Mustangs' an edge in the first set fueling two more three-point runs to give SMSU a 23-15 lead. Groth picked up three of SMSU's final five points in the first set as the Mustangs won set one 25-16.

Taylor and Cara Carson teamed up for three block assists in the second set. With a 3-2 lead, the duo came up with a big block to go up 4-2. U-Mary was able to sideout at 5-3, SMSU went on a seven-point run, including four straight errors by the Marauders.

Carson finished the match with 42 set assists, as the Mustangs hit .230 as a team. Rachel Westby came up with some big kills in the third set, finishing with nine kills and nine digs.

U-Mary battled hard in the third set coming up with a blocking scheme that made the Mustangs' work for their points. The Marauders picked up nine block assists in the third set alone. Allison Adams finished with eight block assists to lead U-Mary. The Marauders finished the match with 12 team blocks compared to SMSU's five.

After holding a 6-5 lead in the third set, U-Mary would gain momentum on a five-point run fueled by three blocks, to take a 10-6 lead. SMSU would not re-take the lead until late in the third set. Westby began a five-point run picking up her seventh kill of the match to come within two at 18-20. Groth and Westby teamed up for two more kills each as SMSU took a 22-20 lead.

A service error and two blocks later U-Mary regained the lead at 23-22. Groth came up with her 17th kill of the match and followed that up with a block assist with Rachel Hackenmueller to give the Mustangs match point 24-22.

Another U-Mary block tied the set at 24, and the Mustangs were able to win the final set 26-24 on another kill by Groth and a service ace by Westby.

Southwest Minnesota State will celebrate Senior Day tomorrow afternoon at the PE Gym. Cara Carson and Brittany Wenzel will be honored before SMSU's 4:30 p.m. match against Northern State at the PE Gym in Marshall.