Photo courtesy of Peyton Bartsch/Augustana University Southwest Minnesota State University volleyball coach Tyler Boddy speaks to his players during a timeout in the Mustangs’ 3-0 win over Augustana Universty on Tuesday.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Ashley Peltier’s efficient hitting led the No. 7 Southwest Minnesota State University volleyball team to a four-set win over the Augustana Vikings on Tuesday night and Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play. The Mustangs’ 25-21, 19-25, 25-21, 28-26 win marked their second victory over Augustana this season after they held off the Vikings for a five-set non-conference matchup in SMSU’s home-opener on Sept. 24.

Peltier was the Mustangs’ leading hitter on the night with a team-high 15 kills. Her .400 hitting percentage helped the team to a .226 mark, compared to Augustana’s .168, and was also second only to setter Sydney Thein’s .444 mark on four kills.

Thein finished the match with 43 set assists and one setting error. She also had a block assist and tied Emma VanHeel for fifth on the team with nine digs.

SMSU jumped out to an early 14-7 lead in the first game before Augustanabattled its way back, coming within a point of the Mustangs at 16-15. The Vikings nipped at the Mustangs’ heels for the remainder of the game but never overtook them as SMSU won 25-21.

The second set, however, was anyone’s game. The set was tied 12 times and included four lead changes. Yet, Augustana took off once the set was trailed 19-19. Sydney Tims had a kill and two blocks while Brooke Berens and Reagan Jansen each had a kill and one block in as Augustana closed the set on a 6-0 run for the 25-19 win.

Jansen finished the match with 12 kills and 18 digs for the Vikings, the former second to Maya Wente’s 13 kills and the latter tying her with Lucy Bartee for second to Gabby Jones’ 24 digs.

Wente led Augustana at the net with seven total blocks, including two solo blocks. Berens and Tims each also had four block assists in the match.

SMSU’s versatile defensive efforts were led by libero McKenzie Tolk’s 19 digs. Leah Jones, Kennedy Drake and Mya Krystosek also contributed 13, 11 and 10 digs respectively in the match.

Augustana’s second-set momentum continued into the third, when they opened with a 5-1 run. Once the score moved to 7-4, however, the Mustangs locked in.

Peltier got a kill to spark the Mustangs. With Kennedy Drake at the service line, the Mustangs went on an 8-0 run to take total control of the game. Augustana committed four errors on the run while Drake had a pair of service aces before a service error ended the skid.

SMSU increased its lead up to 10 points, 22-12, before Augustana rallied. The Vikings capitalized on four SMSU errors to go on an 8-0 run of their own, coming back within 2 points of SMSU. Yet, Peltier kills on three of the next four points sealed the 25-21 win, leaving SMSU one set away from victory.

In the deciding set, neither team could significantly pull away. SMSU’s 17-14 lead was the largest of the set but Augustana wouldn’t go away.

A Karli Arkell kill and an Augustana setting error gave SMSU a 24-22 lead, leaving the Mustangs a point away from victory. Yet, Berens and Wente combined for one block to come within a point of SMSU and Jansen and Wente combined for another to tie the set.

The teams alternated points until Jolie Stecher got a kill for Augustan, tying the set at 26-26. From there, VanHeel got consecutive kills to solidify the win at 28-26.

VanHeel finished second to Peltier with 12 kills on a .321 hitting percentage. Her seven total blocks were also a match-high and she was one of two Mustangs, along with Saari Kuehl, to register a solo block in the match.

Kuehl finished with 11 kills for SMSU while Arkell and Jones tallied 10 and eight respectively.

Peltier notched five block assists in the match while Arkell added another three.

SMSU improves to 15-1 overall and 6-1 in conference with the win, keeping them tied with Concordia-St. Paul for third in the NSIC behind Wayne State (Neb.) at 7-0 and St. Cloud State at 6-0.

SMSU will look to keep trending up when it hosts UMary (N.D.) and Minot State (N.D.) for homecoming weekend. The Mustangs will welcome the Marauders into the PE Gym at 6 p.m. on Friday before taking on the Beavers at 1 p.m. on Sunday. The Mustangs swept both teams on the road in their conference-opening weekend on Sept. 20 and 21.