>Box Score

DULUTH, Minn. — Southwest Minnesota State University knocked off the defending NCAA champion, Concordia-St. Paul on Friday night in Romano Gym by scores of 25-21, 23-25, 25-22, 28-26. SMSU snapped a Concordia-St. Paul 43 post-season match win streak along with its seven consecutive national championship streak.
 
SMSU (23-9) hit .263 in the match, including .484 in the third set. The Mustangs tallied eight blocks on the night with five coming form Eisha Oden and three from Sarah Parker—two solo. CU (27-6) was just .169 swinging in the match but took the advantage in the blocks category as the Golden Bears put up 18 total team blocks, led by Riley Hanson who recorded eight—one solo.
 
Abbey Thissen led the Mustang offense with 20 kills, while hitting .262. Sarah Parker and Eisha Oden contributed 14 and 11 kills, respectfully. Megan Larson powered the offense as she dished out 52 assists. Whitney Burmeister posted 14 digs along with Kenzie Beekman and Larson contributing 10 each.
 
In the first frame, both teams traded points to start but Southwest Minnesota State inched its way out in front after the set was tied at 6-6 to take the lead early and kept it the rest of the set. Concordia-St. Paul tried to come back as it pulled within three late, but couldn't take the lead as the Mustangs closed the set out, 25-21.
 
In the second, CU scored the first two points but the Mustangs came back to take the lead, 3-2. The Golden Bears went on to take the next six points to build an 8-3 lead. SMSU tried to work itself back into the set as it went on a 6-1 run to trail by just a point. Concordia-St. Paul kept the lead and pushed it to six at 16-10. SMSU went on yet another 8-2 run to tied the set up at 18-18 going into a CU timeout. Both teams traded points to the finish but it was the Golden Bears to take the set, 25-23.
 
In set three, both teams battled to take the lead as there were 12 tie scores and eight lead changes. Concordia-St. Paul lead for a majority of the set, building a 16-13 lead, but SMSU came back with a six-point streak themselves to take the lead 19-16. SMSU held the lead the rest of the set despite the Golden Bears pulling within a point at 23-22. The Mustangs took the last two points from a kill from Oden and a block from Beekman and Oden to take the set, 25-22.
 
In the fourth, SMSU jumped out front early as it went on a 6-2 run. Concordia-St. Paul fought back to tie the set up at 9-9 but a three-point run gave the Mustangs some space. CU came back to tied it up back at 12-12 and both again traded points down the stretch. Concordia took the lead at 18-17 going into a SMSU timeout. The Mustangs tied it up at 18-18 on the next rally and continued to fight for the lead. SMSU finally led at 23-19 late but Concordia-St. Paul came back scoring the next four points to tie the set at 23-23. Concordia did not stop there and led 26-25 but three straight points by the Mustang took the set and match, 28-26.
 
Southwest Minnesota State reaches the region championship for the just the second time in program history, losing to Concordia-St. Paul in 2011.
 
Southwest Minnesota State will play tomorrow in the championship match versus top-seed Minnesota Duluth at 7 p.m. in the Romano Gym. UMD has beaten SMSU three times this season, including 3-1 last Friday night in the semfinals of the NSIC tournament.