Box Score

MARSHALL, Minn. - No. 4 Southwest Minnesota State University held Minnesota State University Moorhead to just 21 kills and forced 21 attack errors in its straight set victory over the Dragons in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action Saturday afternoon from the PE Gym. SMSU won by set scores of 25-13, 25-16, and 25-11.

MSUM (6-9, 1-6 NSIC) finished the match hitting .000 – 21 kills on 103 swings with 21 errors. SMSU tallied 11 total blocks – Megan Larson led the way with a solo denial and five block assists.

The Mustangs (12-3, 6-1 NSIC) used a balanced attack in the first set with Larson spreading the wealth to her attackers – Reiss and Sarah Parker each tallied four kills in the set while Eisha Oden and Kaylee Burmeister collected three each. SMSU took the set by a comfortable 25-13 margin.

SMSU ramped up the offense in the second set by hitting .375 and pounding 14 of its 25 points for kills. Reiss and Burmeister each recorded six kills in the set on no errors.

SMSU climbed out to an 18-13 lead to force a MSUM timeout. Out of the timeout, MSUM pushed the score to 18-14, but SMSU would close the set with a 7-2 run. A Reiss solo block put an exclamation point on the set and gave SMSU a 2-0 match lead heading into the break.

SMSU captured all the momentum in the third set thanks to back-to-back great plays by setter Megan Larson. Larson denied a Carly Masloski attack before bluffing the set and alertly finding the whole in the Dragon defense to record the kill and force a Dragon timeout with the Mustangs leading 11-6. SMSU would ride the wave of momentum to a 25-11 set win to take the match and sweep the Dragons. Leading 15-9, SMSU rattled off four straight points capped by back-to-back block assists – Oden and Larson teamed up for the first, while Reiss aided Oden on the second. Ellie Senica put together two straight kills to give SMSU match point and Amber Demenge subbed in and delivered a match-ending service ace.

SMSU has now won 16 of its last 17 matches versus MSUM and now leads the all-time series 60-46.

SMSU recorded 45 kills on 99 swings with 11 errors for a .343 hitting percentage. Larson finished with 39 assists and 10 digs for a double-double. Reiss and Burmeister also recorded double-doubles – Reiss with 13 kills and 13 digs, Burmeister with 11 kills and 12 digs. Amber Messner was solid in the back court all afternoon as the freshman libero finished with 13 digs and snuck in a rare kill.

The SMSU volleyball program and the SMSU athletic department would like to thank all SMSU volleyball alumae in attendance for the Mustangs' matches this weekend.

SMSU (12-3, 6-1 NSIC) will continue its four-match homestand next weekend with matches versus Upper Iowa on Friday, Oct. 7, and Winona State on Saturday, Oct. 8.