MARSHALL, Minn.- The No. 17 Southwest Minnesota State volleyball team (20-7 overall, 12-7 NSIC) got back to its winning ways by defeating Bemidji State (2-26, 2-18) 25-22, 25-11, 25-11 on Saturday afternoon in the PE Gym for the final time this season. 
 
Head coach Terry Culhane led the way for the Mustangs, coaching his final game inside the PE Gym. He finishes his career 157-34 at home and 9-1 at home this season. Angela Young led the way offensively in her final home match, tallying 12 kills and seven digs. Payton Hjerleid, also playing her final career home match, led the defense with 15 digs.
 
SMSU took an early 8-6 lead in the first set before the Beavers rode a 6-0 run to take a 12-8 lead. With BSU holding a 17-13 lead, SMSU scored five straight points to take a 19-18 lead that would never be given back to BSU. After the Beavers tied the score at 19-19, The Mustangs would score the next three points to take a 22-19 lead. Although BSU would tie the match back up at 22, SMSU would score off of a pair of attack errors and a Rachel Fink service ace to take the first set. 
 
SMSU would carry momentum into the second set, leading 8-5 early before an 8-2 Mustang run would grow the lead to 16-7. The set would move to 19-10 before five straight SMSU points, capped off by a block and a kill by Emma VanHeel, would grow the lead to 24-10. BSU would score a point to make it 24-11, but a kill from Young would give the Mustangs a two-set advantage. 
 
The Mustangs rolled in set three, leading 10-4 early and never looking back. BSU would cut it to 10-6, but SMSU would score four of five to lead 14-7. BSU would score two of the next three to cut the lead to 15-9, but the next five points would go to SMSU to give them a commanding 20-9 lead. SMSU would score five of the final seven points to close the set, match, and regular season. 
 
The Mustangs outhit the Beavers .255-.000 for the match, while doubling up BSU's kill total 38-19. 
 
Fink would finish the match with four aces and nine digs. Sophie Johnson and Alisa Bengen combined for 32 assists to pace the Mustangs offensively, and VanHeel would lead the defense with four blocks. 

With the win, SMSU has clinched a spot in the NSIC Tournament starting Thursday at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D. SMSU, the No. 8 seed, will face No. 1 seed St. Cloud State on Thursday starting at 7:30 p.m.