>Box Score

MARSHALL, Minn. – No. 6 SMSU came back to force a rare fifth set for No. 2 Minnesota Duluth Saturday afternoon but came up short in its final regular season game by scores of 15-25, 25-23, 26-24, 23-25, 15-13. UMD has gone to five sets just one other time this season against Wayne State.

No. 6 SMSU (20-8, 15-5 NSIC) out hit the Bulldogs with .297 hitting percentage and 16 team blocks—led by Sarah Parker's three solo and six assists. No. 2 UMD (20-8, 20-0NSIC) hit only .223 in the match and in the process completed the perfect conference schedule going undefeated.

Four Mustangs recorded double-digit kills and three tallied double-doubles in the match. Kenzie Beekman posted her tenth double-double this season and led the offense with 17 kills and hit .255 including 11 digs. Abbey Thissen and Eisha Oden recorded 13 kills each while hitting .242 and .346, respectfully. Jessica Thelemann earned her first double-double as she contributed 10 kills and 11 digs while leading the Mustangs with a .391 hitting percentage. Megan Larson recorded her ninth double-double as she powered the offense with a career-high 52 assists and 11 digs. Whitney Burmeister recorded 22 digs for the Mustangs.

Southwest Minnesota State kept its dominating performance alive from last night in the first set as the Mustangs started out on a 10-4 run. SMSU kept control the rest of the set and took the set handedly, 25-15. The Mustangs recorded a match-high .519 hitting percentage and only one hitting error. Oden led SMSU with five kills while hitting .833 in the set.

Both traded points to start the second frame, until SMSU went on a five point streak to take the lead 18-11. UMD would not let up as the Bulldogs put together a six point run themselves to pull back within a point. After a Southwest Minnesota State timeout, both teams again traded points and were tied at 23-23. A kill by UMD's Monica Turner and an attack error on SMSU gave the Bulldogs set two, 25-23.

After the break, both teams traded points again through the whole set as there was a match-high 15 tie scores and 11 lead changes. SMSU earned set point put a costly service error and a pair of Bulldog kills gave UMD the set, 26-24.

The fourth set was nothing unique as both teams were neck–in–neck the entire set until SMSU scored five straight to gain a 15-9 advantage. SMSU kept its lead despite UMD trying to take the match, pulling within one on a SMSU set point but an Abbey Thissen kill closed the set 25-23 and forced the fifth set.

In the final frame, both teams again fought to keep it close as there was 11 tie scores. Both teams were tied at 13-13 but UMD squeezed out a pair of points to take the final set, 15-13.