SIOUX FALLS – Completing a weekend sweep, University of Sioux Falls Volleyball held off Minot State, 3-1 (25-18, 25-15, 17-25, 25-22), on Saturday afternoon. The Cougars improve to 12-4 on the season with a 7-4 record in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, moving them into a tie for sixth place.
The Cougars finished the match with a .259 attack percentage, despite a negative mark in the third set. Led by
Averey Yaksich's hot start the Cougars raced out to a two-set lead, hitting better than .360 in each set. Yaksich led the Cougars with 16 kills and started the match by connecting on nine kills without committing an error.
The USF offense was balanced all afternoon as setters
Megan Hamstad and
Krista Goerger dished out 28 and 19 assists, respectively. Defensively, four different Cougars recorded multiple blocks, led by middle blockers
Abby Feyereisen and
Lexi Scott who combined for nine total blocks.
Janelle Lam's consistent play in the back row helped the Cougars limit Minot State to a .102 attack percentage. Lam picked up 13 digs and handed out four assists while
Bria Barfnecht recorded 12 digs to secure her eighth double-double of the season.
The Cougars rolled in their first two sets, winning 25-18 and 25-15. The offense combined for 31 kills and a .364 attack percentage and the defense forced Minot State in 16 errors and a .000 attack percentage through two sets.
Lexi Scott put down four of her 11 kills in the second set to pace the Cougar offense.
In the third, USF struggled in serve receive and the offense couldn't overcome their passing woes as they connected on eight kills with 10 errors. Minot State capitalized on the Cougars' struggles, nabbing the third set, 25-17. USF bounced back quickly to take a sizable lead in the fourth set, but the resilient Beavers cut the Cougar lead to one point at 23-22. Yaksich gave the Cougars a set-point with her 16th kill and Rockeman put down her 10th termination to finish the match.
Sioux Falls now heads to the road for two important matchups, facing Upper Iowa and Winona State on Oct. 20 and 21, respectively.
