MARSHALL, Minn.- The No. 17 Southwest Minnesota State volleyball team (20-7 overall, 12-7 NSIC) got back to its winning ways by defeating Minnesota Crookston (1-23, 0-19) 25-11, 25-18, 25-17 on Friday night in the PE Gym.
Katelyn Nichols led the way with 11 kills while adding three blocks as
Angela Young and
Meg Schmidt each tallied seven kills to pace the offense.
Payton Hjerleid and
Sophie Johnson combined for 21 digs to lead the way defensively, with
Emma VanHeel adding four blocks.
The teams exchanged the first 10 points of the match before the Mustangs caught fire. Six of the next seven points would go to the Mustangs, and the attack would keep producing. Six of the next nine points would go to SMSU, and with a 17-11 score after a pair of Golden Eagle points, the Mustangs would close the set with eight straight points that would include three kills, an ace, and five UMC errors. The Mustangs would never trail the set, and outhit UMC .290-(-).08.
Set two would see the Mustangs lead 8-5 before a 7-1 run would separate the teams. A 15-6 lead would dwindle to a 17-14 lead as the Golden Eagles would score eight of the next ten points, but SMSU would neutralize the attack with five of the next six points to race back to a 22-15 lead. The teams would share the next six points, as a Johnson ace would close the set and give SMSU a commanding 2-0 lead.
After a 4-4 start to the third set, UMC would score six of eight points to take a 10-6 lead. The Mustangs would elect not to use a timeout, and it would pay dividends. 12 of the next 14 points would go to SMSU, giving them an 18-11 lead. The reign would continue, with SMSU growing the lead to 24-14, and although UMC would score three straight points to cut the lead to 24-17, a VanHeel kill would close the match in three sets.
SMSU outhit UMC .350-.098, while recording 44 kills to UMC's 25. SMSU would also record seven blocks, five more than the two of UMC.
Southwest Minnesota State will face Bemidji State on Saturday for the final game of the regular season with a 2 p.m. match in the PE Gym for Parents' Day.
