BOX SCORE | PHOTO GALLERY

MARSHALL, Minn. - Claire Sames slammed 11 kills and finished with a career-high .526 hitting percentage to lead No. 6 Southwest Minnesota State to a straight set victory over Winona State in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action on Friday night. SMSU earned the sweep with set victories of 25-15, 25-15, 25-13.

Sames' previous career-high for hitting percentage was .500 (12-1-22) which she set versus Eckerd (Fla.) on Sept. 6.

With the match victory SMSU extends its winning streak to nine straight and improved its record to 13-3 overall and 8-0 in the NSIC.

SMSU combined to hit .350 (48-13-100) in the three sets and were led by Sames and Abbey Thissen who each finished with 11 kills. Balancing out the offensive attack was Whitney Burmeister and her nine kills, as well as Sarah Parker and McKell Anderson who each finished with eight kills each. Parker, who earned the start, finished a kill shy of tying her career-high mark of 10 set on Sept. 6 versus Truman.

SMSU dominated from the get go as they quickly climbed to a 10-2 lead in set one. The rally was capped by the block assist of Sames and Thissen. Sames would put an end to the set as a Warrior pass sailed over the net and the sophomore middle blocker sent it to the floor.

Unlike the first set the second set featured the two teams battling for the advantage. Leading 10-9, SMSU went 9-0 run to put the set out of Warrior reach at 19-0. The rally was capped by a Parker and Burmeister block assist. SMSU wound up taking the set 25-15.

Carrying a 13-9 in the middle of set three, SMSU would use a 12-4 run to finish off the Warriors and earn its fifth straight sweep. 

SMSU has now won nine matches in a row and have a 15-straight set winning streak.

The Mustangs will carry the streaks into tomorrow afternoon's match with Upper Iowa at the PE Gym. First serve is set for 4 p.m.