Box Score
SMSU Postgame Press Conference

Saint Paul, Minn.- Southwest Minnesota State (28-5) battled from behind all match long but eventually prevailed in a 3-2 win (21-25, 25-23, 16-25, 25-17, 15-9) over the sixth seeded Augustana Vikings (27-6) on Friday night in the Gangelhoff Center.

Four Southwest Minnesota State players reached double digits in kills as Eisha Oden (17), Taylor Reiss (16), Sarah Parker (13), and Kaylee Burmeister (11) carried the Mustangs' offense.

The Mustangs faced a tough attack from Augustana all night but defended well as Reiss (11), Burmeister (17), Amber Messner (18), Megan Larson (11), and Erin Corrigan (11) each made into doulbe-digits in digs. Parker and Oden played well in the middle for SMSU as they hit .344 and .548 respectively and combined for six blocks between the two.

SMSU fell behind one set early as Augustana took the opening set 25-21. The Mustangs rebounded in the second with the help of five kills from Burmeister and great passing from Larson who had 14 assists in the second set. The set was tied at 20-20, but a kill from Sarah Parker out of an SMSU timeout tied the match at one set apiece with the Mustangs winning game two 25-23.

The third set was all Augustana as SMSU hit just .100 and committed three service errors. AU jumped out to a 12-3 lead and never looked back, going up two sets to one with a 25-16 win. Southwest Minnesota State rebounded well again as they started the set on an 11-4 run and never trailed on its way to a 25-17 win, sending the match into a fifth set.

SMSU controlled the final set and led by as many as seven at 11-4. Augustana was never able to overcome the deficit as the Mustangs went on to clinch a spot in the next round with a 15-9 win.

The Mustangs will play the winner of Winona State versus Concordia-St. Paul on Saturday night at 7 p.m., back in the Gangelhoff Center.