SIOUX FALLS - After a dominating finish to the first day of the Country Inn & Suites Invitational, University of Sioux Falls Volleyball captured their own tournament title by finishing as the only undefeated team with two more 3-0 victories on Saturday. The Cougars (6-2) opened the day by sweeping a resilient Minnesota Crookston squad, 3-0 (26-24, 26-24, 25-21), on the back of all-tournament MVP Bria Barfnecht's 13 efficient kills. One win away from the unofficial tournament title, USF thwarted in-state foe South Dakota School of Mines & Technology in straight sets, 3-0 (25-13, 25-13, 25-14), behind Barfnecht and fellow all-tournament team members Jordan Calef and Makenna Rockeman.
 
Rockeman was the workhorse for the Cougars all tournament, finishing with a tournament-high 64 kills. Calef was the top front-row defender of the five teams, posting a tournament-leading 22 total blocks, a 1.69 per set average. Most impressively was how Barfnecht impacted USF's four wins in all facets. She ranked third in the tournament with a .370 attack percentage on 39 kills, which was tied for fourth, and third in total blocks with 16 for an average of 1.23 per set.
 
USF stretches their winning streak to six consecutive victories as they enter Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play, which bodes as a certain increase in competition. The Cougars welcome current No. 3 Wayne State to the Stewart Center for their opener on Thursday, Sept. 15, then close the week with a Mayor's Cup match at cross-town rival and top-25 ranked Augustana at the Elmen Center on Saturday, Sept. 17.
 
Sioux Falls 3, Minnesota Crookston 0 (26-24, 26-24, 25-21)
Sioux Falls entered the day as the only unbeaten team in the tournament, but Minnesota Crookston pushed the Cougars to the brink despite USF securing their fifth straight win by way of a 3-0 sweep. The Cougar offense dipped in production after a banner finish to the first day of the tournament, but it was tournament MVP Bria Barfnecht who carried the Cougars when they needed it most.
 
She posted three kills in each of the first two sets, a steady output as the Cougars and Golden Eagled (3-4) traded blows in the first two frames. Barfnecht's third-set performance was what carried them to victory, drilling seven kills in the final frame for the win.
 
USF seemed in control of the first set, building a six-point advantage on multiple kills from Makenna Rockeman and Jordan Calef to lead 21-15. However, Minnesota Crookston pushed back with the help of two timely blocks to erase the Cougars' lead. Aubrey Milne and Lexi Scott countered the UMC run with a pair of kills and after dropping their first set-point opportunity, Rockeman terminated for another and Sydney Schaap finished with an ace.
 
The second set was both a sideout nightmare and dream for a volleyball coach as each team forced the other into quick sideouts while also failing to string together any sort of runs. Neither team held a lead larger than two points and the score was tied an amazing 21 ties alone in the second set -- for reference, the other two sets featured just seven total tie scores.
 
Late in the set, the Cougars were playing from behind, needing to win points to re-tie the score. Barfnecht and Milne recorded kills to even the score at 20- and 21-all, respectively. Sioux Falls caught a break after USF attack error gave Minnesota Crookston the lead again. A pair of errors by UMC gave USF the a one-point lead, and Milne connected on another late kill to earn their first set point. USF would have to continue to fight after UMC's Maggie Perrel terminated to even at 24-24. Scott knocked in another kill to set up Abby Folk for a set-clinching service ace and the Cougars' second consecutive 26-24 win.
 
The Cougars were in control the entire second set, but not without drama from a resilient Golden Eagle team. Sydney Schaap registered back-to-back aces following a Barfnecht-Calef-Rockeman triple block. Once the Cougars held a lead, Barfnecht would ensure she secured it as she scored seven of the Cougars' remaining 15 points with a kill. Calef added a pair of block assists and Scott posted  a solo stuff to aid Barfnecht's heroics in the 25-21 match-clinching win.
 
Sioux Falls 3, South Dakota M&T 0 (25-13, 25-13, 25-14)
With Sioux Falls's offense firing on all cylinders and the three-headed monster of Bria Barfnecht, Makenna Rockeman and Jordan Calef showing no signs of letting up, the Cougars secured their third straight sweep and sixth consecutive victory with a dominating 3-0 sweep of South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.
 
Rockeman and Barfnecht paced the Cougars with 28 of USF's 26 kills, but stellar team defense limited SDSMT to a .052 attack percentage. Calef and Barfnecht each had five block assists while sophomore middle Lexi Scott posted two assists and a solo block. Abby Folk was solid in the back row, picking up nine of her 54 digs in the tournament, and Kelli Holloway added seven scoops for the Cougars' defensive effort.
 
USF was lights out in the first set, hitting 16 kills on 25 attempts to finish with a .520 attack percentage. Rockeman connected on three straight then Barfnecht scored five of the next six Cougar points as it seemed to be a race for tournament MVP. Once they were all in the front row, Calef, Barfnecht and Rockeman hit three consecutive kills to close out the set, 25-13.
 
The second set score echoed the first, but it was a slew of new faces shining through for the offense. Freshman KaSandra Springer posted a pair of kills that sparked a USF run then added another that preceded the Cougars holding a seven-point advantage. Once the Hardrockers drew within three points, the Cougars scored 14 of the next 16 points in the match, including six straight that featured Calef as a catalyst for two blocks. Scott and Barfnecht teamed up for the final point, the third USF block in the final five points.
 
USF nearly made it three straight set wins by the same 12-point advantage, winning the third set by a 25-14 margin. Springer posted three more kills int eh third set and Abby Feyereisen connected on a kill from the middle while adding a block with Barfnecht. A steady force throughout the third set, Scott posted three kills, a pair of block assists, and a solo block.