BOX SCORE

MARSHALL, Minn. - The University of Sioux Falls rallied to win the final three sets and stun No. 6 Southwest Minnesota State 3-2 on Tuesday night in Marshall. USF won the match by scores of 15-25, 19-25, 27-25, 25-16 and 15-13. SMSU committed 31 errors and was blocked 18 times in the loss.

It was the first loss to USF in series history and the first loss at home since No. 10, 2012, when the Mustangs fell to Concordia-St. Paul in front of a record crowd of 2,152.

The Mustangs were without reigning NCAA Freshman of the Year Emilee Gutzmer who was held out of the game due to an injury. Rachel Westby forfeited her libero jersey and took over the setting duties. Westby filled in remarkably as the senior tallied a season-high 62 assists for the Mustangs. Westby also managed seven digs in the match.

Westby spread the ball around as four Mustangs reached double-digit kill totals in the match -- Abbey Thissen led with 17, while Whitney Burmeister, Claire Sames and Nico Schmidt each had 15. Burmeister also dug out 10 Cougar attacks to record her ninth career double-double.

SMSU cruised to straight victories in sets one and two, limiting the Cougars to hitting percentages of .071 and .161, respectively. In those sets the Mustangs would combine to hit just seven errors but would commit 24 throughout sets three, four and five.

The third set saw the Mustangs and Cougars with 12 tied scores and five lead changes before USF rode its potent serving to set victory. SMSU held match point in the third set with the score 25-24 but Ellen Degler's service error tied up the score. USF used NSIC leading service specialist Becky Wessel to reel off two straight points and take the set.

The momentum carried over into the fourth set as the Cougars blazed their way to a 10-2 lead and forced SMSU to take both timeouts. USF dominated the net with Samantha Lovell, Emily Johnson and Jordan Calef. Lovell finished the match with eight block assists and three solo denials, while Johnson and Calef each earned six block assists. Four Cougars finished the match with five block assists or more. Lovell and Johnson each had 11 kills. USF took the set easily 25-16.

The fifth set was back-and-forth throughout but SMSU found itself down 10-8. The Mustangs would chase down the Cougars and make it a 13-13 score with a Sames kill but it was USF that turned to its serving once again. This time it was Emily Johnson who put the Mustangs out of position defensively and allowed a clean attack and kill by Kate Hart to complete the comeback and upset.

SMSU drops to 15-5 overall, 10-2 NSIC, while USF improves to 13-8 overall, 5-7 NSIC.

SMSU will welcome Bemidji State and Minnesota Crookston to the PE Gym this Friday and Saturday. Friday's match versus Bemidji State is the third annual "Red Out" presented by the Minnesota National Guard. Fans are encouraged to wear red in an effort to raise awareness of heart disease. The first 500 fans will receive a free "Red Out" t-shirt courtesy of the Minnesota National Guard.