ST. CLOUD, Minn.- The No. 14-ranked Southwest Minnesota State University volleyball team (19-7 Overall, 11-7 NSIC) fell in four sets on the road at St. Cloud State (22-4, 17-1) by a score of 25-17, 25-21, 17-25, 25-17 at Halenbeck Hall in St. Cloud.
 
Meg Schmidt recorded 15 kills, eight digs and three blocks to lead the way for SMSU. Angela Young would add nine kills and 10 digs. Katelyn Nichols led the way defensively, collecting six blocks to go with four digs, while Payton Hjerleid would lead the team with 17 digs.
 
St. Cloud State raced to a 7-2 lead early on, with four kills and a pair of aces to jump start the offense. SMSU would close in the gap, cutting the SCSU lead to one twice at 8-7 and 10-9. 11 of the next 15 points would go to the Huskies, and although SMSU would turn a 22-14 score to a 22-17 score, It wouldn't be enough as SCSU would score the final three points to end the set.

Set two would see a determined Mustang team early, scoring seven of 11 to open the set before SCSU would score a pair to make it a 7-6 score. The teams would each score a point before a 4-0 SMSU run put them ahead 12-7. SCSU roared back with five straight points to tie the set at 12 apiece. SMSU's latest lead would be at 15-14, but SCSU would jump to a 16-15 lead. Eight of the next 11 points would go to the Huskies and although SMSU would score three in a row to make it a 24-21 set, SCSU would close it out on the next point to go ahead two sets to none.
 
A 6-5 SCSU lead would trend in the SMSU direction when the Mustangs would take advantage of three SCSU errors and a Saari Kuehl kill to jump ahead 9-6. The teams traded the next six points to give SMSU a 12-9 lead. SMSU would go on a tear with two blocks, four kills, and a service ace fueling a 7-0 run to put SMSU ahead 19-9. The Mustangs would score six of the next 14 points to cut the SCSU lead in half at two sets to one.

 The Huskies never trailed in the fourth set, jumping to a 7-3 lead and eventually inching it to 8-5. A 4-0 run would put SCSU up 12-5, and although SMSU would get as close as 15-14, SCSU would dominate with 10 of the next 13 points to close the set and the match.
 
Brooklyn Kusler finished the game with six kills and four blocks to help the Mustangs on both sides of the ball, with Emma VanHeel adding seven kills and three blocks. 

SMSU has lost five of their last six road games to close out their road schedule.
 
The Mustangs close out the regular season at home Friday hosting Minnesota Crookston for Senior Night at 6 p.m. before welcoming Bemidji State for Parent's Day on Saturday at 2 p.m.