BOX SCORE

ST. CLOUD, Minn. - No. 7 Southwest Minnesota State finished the match with a season-high .457 team attack percentage cruising past St. Cloud State University 25-16, 25-9, 25-11 on Tuesday night in St. Cloud, Minn. SMSU improves to 9-2 overall, including 3-0 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play while St. Cloud State falls to 5-6, 1-2 NSIC.

Southwest Minnesota State's .457 attack percentage ranks third all-time in a single match.

SMSU's Mary Groth connected on a match-leading 17 kills, while recording a season-high .577 attack percentage helping the Mustangs to a clean sweep of the Huskies. Brooke Burmeister finished with 12 kills and six digs in the match.

The match saw just two tie scores and two lead changes.

The Mustangs jumped out to a five-point lead at 6-1 to open up the first set. Groth had three kills in that stretch. The Huskies battled back in the first set to come within two points at 12-10, but the Mustangs shut the door going on a four, and two three-point runs to close-out the first set 25-16.

SMSU poured on the pressure in the second set taking 15 of the first 19 points of the set leading 15-4. After a service error by SMSU, the Mustangs went on a six-point tear behind the serve of Burmeister to take a 21-5 lead.

SMSU had 11 kills in 14 attempts while committing no errors for a second set attack percentage of .786 while holding the Huskies to a -.095 attack percentage. The Mustangs were able to sideout nine out of nine times in the second set cruising to a 25-9 set two win.

Rachel Westby led SMSU to a 9-1 lead to begin the final set of the match. The sophomore served the Mustangs to six consecutive points aided by three kills from Groth and Burmeister.

Westby finished the match with four kills and seven digs. Cara Carson spread the ball around in the match with eight Mustangs recording kills in the match. Carson finished with 35 set assists and six digs. Brittany Wenzel led all players with 13 digs.

Southwest Minnesota State gained a large 19-5 lead over the Huskies in the third set and eventually went on to win the final set 25-11.

SMSU will continue NSIC play on Friday hosting No. 5 Minnesota Duluth at 7 p.m. at the PE Gym. The Mustangs will then welcome Bemidji State on Saturday, SMSU's homecoming, at 3 p.m.