MARSHALL, Minn. – The No. 5 ranked Southwest Minnesota State University volleyball team closed their weekend on a high note, defeating Minnesota State 3-0 on Saturday afternoon inside the PE Gym.
 
SMSU, which improved to 21-5 overall and 13-5 in the NSIC, won by scores of 25-22, 25-20, 27-25.
 
MSU drops to 6-20 overall, 5-13 NSIC.
 
SMSU, which hit .398 in the match, used a balanced attack with three players reaching double figures in kills. Meg Schmidt racked up a game-high 15 kills, swinging .429, while Brooklyn Kusler added 11 kills on a .526 hitting percentage, and Saari Kuehl recorded 10 kills while hitting .409.
 
Alisa Bengen dished out 38 assists, collected eight kills and no errors while hitting .727, and picked up four digs.
 
Natalee Rolbiecki and McKenzie Tolk combined for 19 digs to lead the back line, and Katelyn Nichols had three blocks up front.
 
SMSU jumped to a 7-0 lead in set but the Mavericks battled back, closing the gap to 10-9. The Mustangs would never trail in the set, and with the score tied 19-19, the Mustangs powered up, scoring four of the next five points before a Schmidt kill closed the set at 25-22.  
 
MSU would lead in the early stages of set two before trading points and leading as late as 18-17. SMSU would again surge late, scoring seven of eight points, with a four kills from four different Mustangs leading the way. MSU scored a point to make it 24-20, but Schmidt again capped off a set with a kill to take a 2-0 advantage.
 
Neither team created separation through 50 points, with the Mavericks fighting off set-points at 24-23 and 25-24 to stay alive, but a Kuehl kill and a block from Kuehl and Nichols would close the match and give SMSU their 21^st victory of the season.
 
SMSU closes its regular season schedule on the road, taking on Upper Iowa at 6 p.m., on Friday before going up against Winona State in its regular season finale at 2 p.m., on Saturday.