Box Score

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Southwest Minnesota State fell to Sioux Falls in five-sets on Tuesday night at the Stewart Center. SMSU  drops to 13-7, 8-4 NSIC, while USF improves to 13-7, 8-4 NSIC. USF won by scores of 8-25, 25-20, 23-25, 25-23, 17-15.
 
Taylor Reiss recorded a match-high 31 kills and 15 digs in the Mustangs fourth conference loss of the season. Reiss recorded six service aces, the first time a Mustang has done so since Brittany Wenzel on Oct. 16, 2009, against St. Cloud State.
 
Sariah Naea made her first career-start and recorded 55 assists and six digs. Kaylee Burmeister paced the Mustangs with 17 digs.
 
The Mustangs jumped to an early 9-1 lead to open set one. The Mustangs recorded a collective .706 hitting percentage and maintained the lead for a 25-8 victory.
 
Sioux Falls went on a 5-0 run to earn a 10-5 lead in the second set. The Mustangs rallied and tied the set, 15-15 and continued on for a 16-15 lead, with a service ace from Naea. The Cougars came back to gain a 23-20 advantage and would take set two, 25-20 after an attack error on the Mustangs and a kill from Averey Yaksich.
 
Set three went point-for-point with 14 tied scores and nine lead changes. With the Cougars leading 23-22, the Mustangs called a timeout, followed Taylor Reiss earning the last three points, off one kill and two service aces. SMSU took set three, 25-23.
 
The Mustangs earned a 15-13 lead before the Cougars went on a 6-0 run aided by three kills from Averey Yaksich. USF maintained the lead and capitalized the win with a kill from Makenna Rockeman.
 
The Mustangs had a two-point lead at 10-8 before the Cougars rallied and to tie the set at 10-10. The team went back-and-forth with the set tied last at 15-15 before the Cougars delivered a kill from Lexi Scott and service error to inevitably end the match.
 
Southwest Minnesota State (13-7, 8-4 NSIC) travels to Minot State (9-11, 3-8 NSIC) on Friday at 6 p.m. and UMary (3-16, 0-11 NSIC) on Saturday at 11 a.m.