SAINT JOSEPH, Mo. – The Southwest Minnesota State volleyball team (5-1) bounced back from suffering its first loss of the season, sweeping Rockhurst (1-4) and Northwest Missouri State (3-2) at the MWSU Fieldhouse Friday.
GAME ONE
The Mustangs defeated Rockhurst Friday afternoon in three sets, 25-16, 25-17, 25-10.
SMSU was led offensively by Leah Jones, who recorded a match-high 15 kills while hitting .483 with just one attack error. Natalie Pilney added seven kills while hitting .385 and led the Mustangs with 5.5 total blocks, including three solo blocks.
Mya Krystosek finished with seven kills and 10 digs, while Mollie Rupp also recorded seven kills while hitting .313.
At setter, Tatem Schmidt recorded a match-high 21 assists and added 10 digs for a double-double. Sydney Thein finished with 10 assists and three digs, while Ashlynn Schroeder contributed nine digs.
As a team, SMSU hit .381 for the match, (46-9-97). The Mustangs also held a 10-4 advantage in total blocks and finished with 48 digs. Rockhurst, led offensively by Chloe Tyrrell with six kills, hit just .039 in the match (23-21-102).
SMSU jumped out to an early lead in the opening set, using a 6-0 run to build a 7-3 advantage. The Mustangs continued to control the set behind kills from Jones, Rupp and Pilney before taking a 13-4 lead. Rockhurst cut the deficit to eight late, but SMSU closed the set on a Pilney kill to win 25-16.
The second set was more competitive early, with Rockhurst taking a 7-5 lead before SMSU rallied to go in front 10-8. The Mustangs gradually extended their advantage, leading 15-12 before using a 5-0 run to take a 20-12 lead. SMSU maintained control from there and finished off the 25-17 victory on another Jones kill.
SMSU dominated the third set from the start, taking an 8-4 lead before extending the margin to 13-8. The Mustangs then erupted for a 7-0 run, pushing the lead to 20-8. SMSU closed the match by scoring the final four points, including back-to-back kills from Jones, before a Rockhurst attack error gave the Mustangs the 25-10 win.
GAME TWO
SMSU ended the evening Friday sweeping Northwest Missouri State, 25-20, 25-20, 25-18.
SMSU was led offensively by Leah Jones, who recorded a team-high 12 kills, while Mollie Rupp added 11 kills and hit .385 with just one attack error. Lindsay Kruse contributed six kills on 11 attacks without an error, finishing with a .545 hitting percentage.
At setter, Tatem Schmidt recorded a team-high 21 assists and added nine digs, while Sydney Thein finished with 14 assists, six digs, and two service aces. Ashlynn Schroeder paced the defensive effort with 15 digs, while Paige Steinmetz added 11 digs.
As a team, SMSU hit .256 for the match (43-12-121). The Mustangs also collected six service aces and 59 digs. Northwest Missouri State, who was led by Jada Smith with nine kills, hit .183 (35-13-120).
The Mustangs and Bearcats battled through a tightly contested opening set, with 13 ties and four lead changes. After Northwest Missouri State took a 17-16 lead, SMSU answered with a 7-0 run, highlighted by consecutive kills from Rupp and a kill from Jones, to take a 23-17 advantage. The Bearcats trimmed the deficit to four, but Rupp closed the set with a kill to give SMSU a 25-20 victory.
Northwest Missouri State controlled much of the early portion of the second set, building a 13-12 advantage before extending the lead to 17-14. SMSU battled back to tie the set at 19-19, then took control behind kills from Rupp and a block from Pilney to move in front 22-20. The Mustangs scored the final three points of the set, capped by another Rupp kill, to win 25-20.
SMSU jumped out to an early lead in the third set and later held a 10-6 advantage. Northwest Missouri State rallied to tie the set at 13-13, but the Mustangs responded with a strong stretch to regain control. SMSU led 20-17 before scoring five of the final six points, including three straight points to close the match, as Kruse delivered the final two kills in the 25-18 victory.
The Mustangs conclude their Missouri trip Saturday morning against Oklahoma Christian at 11:30.
