Box Score WINONA— With double doubles from sophomores Averey Yaksich and Krista Goerger as well as senior Bria Barfnecht, the University of Sioux Falls Volleyball Team (19-8, 14-5) set a program record for league wins with a dramatic 3-2 (23-25, 25-17, 25-16, 19-25, 17-15) Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference road victory over Winona State (13-14, 10-9 NSIC) on Friday night.

With their fourth straight win and their 13^th victory in 16 matches, the Cougars improved to 14-5 in league play, which not only set a school DII record but helped USF retain a hold on fifth place in the NSIC. They still trail Southwest Minnesota State (20-7, 15-4) by one game for the fourth spot in the league standings and the opportunity to host a first-round contest when the NSIC Postseason Tournament begins on Tuesday at the home sites of the top four seeds. USF will wrap up their regular season schedule on Saturday, Nov. 3 when they travel to Upper Iowa (17-10, 10-9 NSIC) for a 4 p.m. match.  SMSU travels to face Winona State on Saturday.

Yaksich, who was named to the All-NSIC second team this week, tied her career-mark with 16 kills and 16 digs to help USF to their 19^th win over the season, which tied the 2013 and 2016 teams for most DII team wins.  Senior Bria Barfnecht, who was named to the All-NSIC First Team, had her eighth double double of the season with 15 kills on 31 attacks for a .419 hitting percentage and 11 digs. Goerger accumulated 48 assists and 11 digs for her fifth double double of the season.

USF's other first team All-NSIC selection, senior Lexi Scott, finished the match with 14 kills on 28 attempts for a hitting percentage of .393. She also finished the night with five block assists, two assists, and one dig.

The Cougars, which ranks second in NCAA DII in hitting percentage, had a solid night with a .239 mark with 59 kills on 163 attack attempts. USF held the Warriors to a negative hitting percentage in the second and third sets and allowed WSU just a .174 mark in the final set. After losing the opening set, USF won two straight sets and after WSU tied it up and took a 10-8 lead in the fifth set, the Cougars had a 9-5 run down the stretch to pull out the record-setting win.

In the first set, USF hit for a .237 hitting percentage as both teams traded points. USF went on a three point swing mid-way through the set behind a big kill by senior Makenna Rockeman to gain a 15-12 advantage and forcing WSU to call a timeout. WSU responded with four straight points to take a 16-15 lead over USF. Then, the Warriors finished with a 9-8 advantage to edge past USF, 25-23.   

USF jumped out to a fast start in the second set and recorded an early 10-4 lead behind a pair of kills by Rockeman and Scott. USF stifled every WSU attempt at making a comeback, and ran away with the set after a couple of late set kills by Yaksich and Scott helped USF build a 23-14 lead. USF, which lost a .175 hitting mark, finished off the set at 25-17 to tie the match at 1-1.

USF hit .321 in the third set and broke from a 8-7 lead with a 7-0 run to grab a 15-7 advantage. From there, USF had a pair of kills by Scott and closed on a 10-9 run to take a 2-1 lead in the match.

In the fourth set, the home-standing Warriors build a 15-13 lead and held off USF in a 25-19 decision to force a fifth set. USF hit .235 in the set.   

In the emotional fifth set where USF hit for a .261 team hitting percentage, USF took an early lead when Goerger had a pair of service aces. However, WSU rallied to take an 11-8 lead. However, the Cougars would also responded as Yaksich and Barfnecht recorded a pair of kills to draw within one point at 11-10. Then, WSU pushed the lead to 14-11 before USF finished strong. Facing three match points, USF received a crucial kill from Barfnecht which was followed by service aces from Kasandra Springer to knot the score at 14-14. After USF led, 15-14, the Cougars fought off a fourth match points when Scott registered a kill. Then, WSU had consecutive hitting errors as the Cougars won the final two points to rally for the win and take the final set, 17-15