SIOUX FALLS – An off night for University of Sioux Falls Volleyball ended with a 3-0 (25-19, 25-18, 25-16) defeat to Minnesota State on Saturday. The Cougars drop to 13-7 on the season with an 8-7 record in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. With five matches remaining in the regular season, USF is tied for eighth in the NSIC standings and tied for the final spot in the NSIC Tournament eight-team field.
 
The Cougars struggled offensive, hitting just .155 in the match while Minnesota State (12-11, 6-9 NSIC) swung at a .326 rate, committing only eight attack errors. Makenna Rockeman led USF with nine kills and fellow junior Lexi Scott posted eight, but the two combined for 11 errors.
 
Minnesota State entered the match as the top serving team, averaging nearly two service aces per set. The Mavericks lived up to their billing with eight aces as USF struggled in serve receive all afternoon. At the service line themselves, the Cougars committed 10 errors to just three aces.
 
Senior Janelle Lam provided a bright spot in the loss, picking up 17 digs, making it 20 consecutive matches this season with double-digit digs. Bria Barfnecht picked up eight digs and she added five kills.
 
Junior middle blocker Abby Feyereisen finished with three kills and no errors for the highest attack percentage for the Cougars. Freshman Averey Yaksich committed just one attack error while putting down six kills and adding the lone solo block for USF.
 
The Cougars embark on a three-match road trip next week, beginning at Southwest Minnesota State on Tuesday, Oct. 31 at 6 p.m.