At least 10 kills apiece from three different players paced Sioux Falls volleyball to a 3-2 (16-25, 23-25, 25-23, 25-18, 15-11) comeback win over MSU-Mankato Saturday night at the Taylor Center in Mankato, Minn.
The Cougars rallied from a 2-0 deficit to improve to 12-8 overall and 4-7 in Northern Sun play, while MSU fell to 10-8 overall and 4-7 in NSIC action. It is USF's first-ever victory against the Mavericks.
Juniors Kate Hart and Emily Johnson both floored 11 kills, while freshman Jordan Calef finished with 10 terminations and team-best .381 (10-2-21) attack percentage. Defensive specialist Becky Wessel dug out 15 Maverick attacks and Andrea Odbert chipped in 14 digs.
Senior setter Alexa Reed accounted for 39 of the Cougars' 42 assists and was credited with seven digs.
The Mavericks started hot in the opening frame, surging to a 6-0 lead with a 2-2-2 combination of kills, aces and USF attack errors. A 4-1 rally got the Cougars within two at 12-10 after consecutive Calef terminations, but MSU responded by taking seven of the next eight points to cruise to the 25-16 win. The Mavericks hit .462 and held USF to a .067 attack percentage. The Cougars recorded nearly as many errors (six) as kills (eight).
Set two featured five lead changes and 11 ties with neither side able to secure more than a three-point advantage. With the set knotted at 23, MSU pounded a kill for set point and a Cougar hiccup handed the Mavericks the win, 25-23. The MSU offensive attack stayed strong in the second set as the Mavericks posted 18 kills on 30 attempts with three attacking errors for a .500 hitting percentage.
USF regrouped at intermission to take the third set 25-23. With the score tied at 20 in the third frame, the Cougars tallied four straight points on a Samantha Lovell solo block followed by three straight MSU attack errors. The Mavericks scored three points in a row before Hart pounded a kill that cut MSU's lead to 2-1.
In the fourth set, USF took control early and kept their foot on the gas. The Cougars forced MSU into a timeout after moving in front 7-2 and led by as many as 10 before settling for the dominant 25-18 victory. Hart notched four kills and Calef and Johnson tallied three each as the team hit a .300 clip. USF recorded four blocks to hold the Mavericks to a .135 clip.
The Cougars continued to ride their momentum and forced the Mavericks to call a timeout while leading 5-2 and 9-4 in the final set. USF led 11-4 after MSU committed two attack errors and Hart finished the Mavericks off with a kill to complete the Cougars' comeback victory.
MSU out-hit USF in the match, .243-.176 and doubled up the visiting Cougars 10-5 in total blocks.
USF travels to Southwest Minnesota State on Tuesday.
