BOX SCORE

MARSHALL, Minn. – No. 9 Southwest Minnesota State (21-6, 15-3 NSIC) celebrated senior day on Saturday with a 25-14, 25-14, 25-16 sweep over Northern State University (12-13, 7-11 NSIC) in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference volleyball action. The Mustangs, also ranked seventh in the Central Region, finished the match hitting .328 as a team, led by Brooke Burmeister who finished with 15 kills.

Cara Carson and Brittany Wenzel are SMSU's lone seniors on the 2011 roster, played the final match of their careers at the PE Gym. Carson finished with 42 set assists, five digs and five block assists. Rachel Westby picked up her seventh double-double of the season finishing with 10 kills and a team-high 12 digs.

The Mustangs never trailed in the first set after Northern State delivered back-to-back blocks to even the set at 3-3. The Mustangs took eight of the next nine points, including six kills by freshman middle blocker Alyssa Taylor. The freshman finished the first set with nine kills.

Northern State was never able to catch up in the first set as the Mustangs went on to win the first set 25-14. SMSU ended the set on a five-point run, including consecutive kills by Westby.

Westby continued to roll in the second set helping the Mustangs grab a 14-7 lead over Northern State. With a three-point lead at 10-7, Westby connected on back-to-back kills to push SMSU's lead to 12-7.

With the score 14-7 in favor of SMSU, Northern State was able to grab six of the next eight points to come within five at 17-12 SMSU. The Mustangs reeled off another five-point run to take a 22-12 lead. The Mustangs went on to win the second set 25-14 after consecutive kills by Burmeister, and a kill by Taylor to finish off the set.

The Mustangs finished the match with eight team blocks, led by Carson who added five block assists and Groth who pitched in with one solo and four assists.

SMSU was able to grab an early 9-2 lead in the third set before Northern State was able to take eight of the next 11 points to come within two at 12-10. SMSU was able to re-group and reel off a five-point run, which included four straight NSU errors, to take a 22-14 lead. SMSU won the final set 25-16.

SMSU will conclude regular season play next weekend on the road. The Mustangs will take on NSIC-leader and No. 1-ranked Minnesota Duluth at 7 p.m. in Duluth, Minn. on Friday before finishing the regular season against Bemidji State on Saturday at 3 p.m. in Bemidji, Minn.