Box Score

MARSHALL, Minn. – The No. 8 Southwest Minnesota State volleyball team (11-2, 5-0 NSIC) earned its fifth consecutive conference victory with a sweep over No. 22 Upper Iowa (10-3, 2-3 NSIC) on Friday night in the PE Gym for SMSU's ninth annual "red out" night.

SMSU hit .286 with 45 team kills while UIU hit .255 with 39 team totals in the three-set victory (25-23, 25-23, 25-19).

The Mustangs were led offensively by Meg Schmidt with 16 kills on the night with a .419 hitting percentage. Angela Young added 12 kills, 10 digs, and two service aces. Emma Thomssen paces the Mustangs with 21 assists and led the team with three of SMSU's nine service aces. 

Rachel Fink led the team defensively with 23 digs while libero Payton Hjerleid added 22.

The Mustangs rallied from a seven-point deficit in set one as the Peacocks gained a 14-9 lead. The set was locked at 22-22 as Schmidt delivered a kill to send Young to the line. With set-point, Schmidt finished the set with a kill from Lydia Sussner.

SMSU trailed for the majority of set two before gaining a 19-17 lead with back-to-back service aces from Alisa Bengen. The Peacocks remained hot on the tails of the Mustangs with a 23-23 score late in the set. A kill from Schmidt and an error on the Peacocks would end set two, 25-23.

UIU opened set three to open to a fast 4-0 lead. Young went to the line to create a six-point run to gain the lead early on. The Mustangs would hold the lead throughout set three. A kill from Young would give the Mustangs set-point at 24-17, as the Mustangs were thwarted by the Peacocks as they delivered three uncontested kills, a service error would end set three, 25-19.

SMSU (11-2, 5-0 NSIC) hosts RV Winona State (10-2, 2-2 NSIC) on Saturday, Oct. 5 in the PE Gym.