SMSU VOLLEYBALL: SMSU takes down WSU in four sets
WINONA – The No. 9 Southwest Minnesota State volleyball team clinched a home playoff match with a four-set victory over Winona State on Saturday at McCown Gymnasium.
SMSU advances to 21-7 overall and 16-4 in the NSIC, while Winona drops to 13-15 overall and 10-10 in conference play in the Mustangs’ four-set victory (29-27, 23-25, 25-21, 25-18).
Taylor Reiss recorded a match-high 25 kills to extend the Mustangs’ straight eight-match winning streak. Reiss recorded 17 digs for her second consecutive double-double. Emma Thomssen paced the Mustangs with 57 assists and Kaylee Burmeister led the match with 20 digs.
Set 1 had 15 tied scores and went to extended points as the Mustangs battled to overcome the Warriors, 29-27. The Mustangs earned their largest run of the set going for four unanswered points to gain a 16-12 advantage. WSU responded to tie the set after three Mustang errors and one kill to bring the set score to 16-16. Neither team gained more than a two-point advantage until the Warriors earned a 22-20 lead. The set then went point-for-point before the Mustangs delivered a kill from Angela Young and a Warrior error ended set one, 29-27.
With Burmeister at the line, the Mustangs opened Set 2 with a 5-0 run and maintained a 13-7 lead until the Warriors earned a 6-0 run to tie the set at 13-13. The Warriors strung together another four unanswered points to go up 17-15. The Mustangs then tied the set with a kill from Reiss and a bad set from the Warriors. The Mustangs recorded two errors as the Warriors took set two, 25-23.
In Set 3, the Mustangs rallied to take the lead with their largest run of the set, a 4-0 run to earn a 16-9 lead. The Warriors were unable to regain the upper hand as the Mustangs recorded a match-high .390 hitting percentage as Reiss delivered eight of her 25 kills in the set and to inevitably end the set 25-21.
The Mustangs strung together several three point runs in Set 4 to maintain the lead after the set was locked at 12-12. With the Mustangs at a 23-18 advantage in set four, the Warriors committed two errors to earn the Mustangs their set victory, 25-18 and take the match 3-1.
Southwest Minnesota State ends the regular season at 21-7 overall and 16-4 in the conference. SMSU was ranked No. 7 in the second of three NCAA DII regional rankings, released on Wednesday afternoon, and ranked No. 9 in the latest AVCA Top 25 poll released last Monday.
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