SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - A stellar offensive performance paved the way to the third straight win by the University of Sioux Falls as they topped the University of Mary in straight sets. The 3-0 (25-18, 25-15, 25-18) victory puts the Cougars at 8-8 on the year with a 3-4 mark in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference competition.
Five different Cougars each tallied at least four kills while maintaining an attack percentage greater than .400 which led the Cougars to hit .398 on the night, a high for their seven conference matches. Kayla Crane and Sydney Schapp combined to assist on 39 of USF's 45 kills which proved to be a season-best for a three-set match. A strong defensive effort also limited U-Mary (3-13, 0-7 NSIC) to a .140 attack percentage on the night.
A blistering start for Emily Johnson set the tone for the Cougars as the senior outside hitter would post a double-double in kills and digs for USF. Johnson's five first-set kills led the Cougars to a 25-18 set win, as she was more than halfway to her third double-double of the season with six digs in the first stanza.
The Cougars couldn't duplicate their first set offensive output, but strong defense picked up the slack as USF would take a 2-0 lead into the intermission after a 25-15 victory in set two. Michelle Ritland and Samantha Lovell each posted three block assists and Kate Hart and Jordan Calef chipped in with two apiece for a total of five blocks that held U-Mary to a .000 (10-10-33) attack percentage in the second set. USF won the final seven points to avoid a U-Mary comeback.
Ritland and Lovell carried their momentum into the final set, combining for 10 kills in a 25-18 set win that sealed the Cougars' third straight victory. USF recorded a .455 attack percentage behind 18 kills in the third set en route to the clinching win.
Ritland finished one kills shy of double figures, but she posted a match-high .571 attack percentage (9-1-14) from the right side. Abby Folk stretched her consecutive double-digit digs streak to six matches with a team-high 13 while U-Mary's Alex Brown posted a match-high 15 digs.
The Cougars host their fifth straight NSIC opponent tomorrow afternoon when Minot State comes to the Stewart Center for a 2 p.m. match.
