SIOUX FALLS – Behind another dominant all-around performance from Bria Barfnecht, University of Sioux Falls Volleyball powered past St. Cloud State, 3-1 (25-22, 25-21, 20-25, 25-23), on Saturday afternoon. The Cougars improve their record to 9-3 on the year with a 4-3 mark in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference season.
 
Barfnecht notched her sixth double-double if the season leading the Cougars with 19 kills and tying libero Janelle Lam with 17 digs. It is the fourth time this season Barfnecht has surpassed 15 digs and her third 15-15 game. On Saturday, Barfnecht connected on her first 15 kills without committing an error and she ended with a .455 attack percentage on 33 total attempts.
 
As a team, the Cougars hit .224 with Lexi Scott and Makenna Rockeman adding 13 and 12 kills, respectively. USF's defense totaled 10 blocks as middle blockers Soctt and Abby Feyereisen combined for nine total blocks with Averey Yaksich recording USF's only solo block.
 
USF broke away a pair of four-point runs and held off a furious SCSU comeback to win the opening set 25-22. The Cougars built a 19-12 lead after Scott and Megan Hamstad capped their second four-point run with a block then held a 21-15 after Rockeman connected on a kill. The Huskies (10-6, 3-4 NSIC) scored seven straight points to take a one-point lead at 22-21 before Barfnecht put down two kills as part of four unanswered points to take the set.
 
The second set featured 17 tie scores with neither team budging in the critical frame. The final tie came at 20-20 after SCSU answered a Barfnecht kill with a termination, but the Cougars closed by scoring five of the final six points. Scott connected on two kills to give the Cougars a lead then two SCSU errors preceded setter Krista Goerger's set-clinching kill.
 
Sioux Falls struggled in the third set and nearly erased a nine-point deficit before falling 25-20 to bring the match score to 2-1 in favor of USF. The Cougars were eager to end the match in four sets as they took a quick lead before the Huskies began to claw back.
 
USF's four-point advantage was erased when St. Cloud state tied the score at 20-20. Feyereisen gave the Cougars a lead again then teamed up with Barfnecht for a key block for a two-point cushion. Both teams traded points before Barfnecht's kill gave USF their first match point and two points later she finished the Huskies with another termination for the 25-23 victory.
 
The Cougars return to the road to face top-25 ranked Northern State on Friday, Oct. 6 and MSU Moorhead on Saturday, Oct. 7.