The University of Sioux Falls raced to a 10-5 lead in the opening set and never looked back, cruising to a 3-0 win against Bemidji State on Saturday afternoon in the Stewart Center.
The Cougars (14-9, 6-8 NSIC) routed the hapless Beavers (5-17, 1-13) by set scores of 25-17, 25-13 and 25-10.
Bolstered by Samantha Lovell's 11 kills and .600 attack percentage, USF finished with a .465 team hitting clip, its second highest clip of the season. Emily Johnson tallied 10 kills on 16 swings with just two errors (.500), while freshman Jordan Calef chipped in with seven terminations.
BSU took the first point of the match and trailed by one at 4-3 before USF rattled off five straight points for a 9-3 advantage. BSU rebounded to cut its deficit to 13-11, but the Cougars scored four straight points to take a 17-11 lead they would not relinquish. The Cougars clinched the set 25-17 with an Alexa Reed termination.
Sioux Falls torched the Beavers with a .600 attack clip in set two and made short work of the visitors, 25-13. The Cougars jumped ahead 9-2 with Lovell and Johnson each contributing two kills during the stretch, which came with Jordan Calef at the service line. Leading 21-12, the Cougars embarked on a 4-1 run down the stretch and put the frame away on a kill by Natalie Minchow, 25-13.
It was all USF in the third as back-to-back kills by Jordan Calef sparked a 7-1 Cougar scoring spree. Bemidji State called timeout after a Johnson solo stuff made it 13-2 USF but the Cougars refused to let off the gas. A BSU service error allowed the Cougars to complete the sweep with the 25-10 set three victory.
The Cougars out-blocked BSU, 8.0-2.0. Lovell put up a match-high four blocks while Calef, Minchow and Kate Hart were credited with three blocks apiece. Andrea Odbert dug out seven Beaver attacks to pace the Cougars' back row defense.
USF held Bemidji State to a .053 attack percentage. Jessica Yost and Amanda Tronick finished with seven kills each to lead the Beavers' offensive efforts.
The Cougars will travel to Madison on Tuesday night for a non-conference tilt against Dakota State University.
