Box Score CROOKSTON, Minn. — With their five win in six matches, the University of Sioux Falls Volleyball Team (11-6, 6-3 NSIC) defeated Minnesota Crookston (3-14, 1-8 NSIC), 3-0 (25-14, 25-17, 25-12) in dominating fashion on Saturday afternoon. This is the sixth time this season that the Cougars have swept their opponents in three sets.
With their third straight victory, the Cougars retained a tie for fifth place in the NSIC standings with St. Cloud State at 6-3. The Cougars, which improved to 11-6 overall, have recorded their second weekend sweep in three weeks.
Senior
Bria Barfnecht recorded her seven double-double on the season after posting 15 kills on 24 attacks for a hitting percentage of .500, while also tallying 13 digs. With those 15 kills, she now has double digits in kills 13 times in 17 matches with at least 15 kills for the seventh time. Fellow senior
Lexi Scott added 13 kills on 19 attacks for an efficient hitting percentage of .579. Scott also added four blocks and one service ace to her game.
Sophomore setter
Krista Goerger added 39 assists during Saturday's contest to the 37 that she accumulated on Friday against Bemidji State to put her weekend assist total at 76 through seven sets.
The first set got off to a bit of a slow start with USF falling behind 7-3 early to UMC. The Cougars would go on a run which was highlighted by a kill by
Abby Feyereisen to tie the set at 10-10. Barfnecht recorded three straight kills and the Cougar offense took over to win 15 of the last 18 points. As a result, USF, which outhit UMC, .268-to-108, captured the first set, 25-17.
The second set was back-and-forth until UMC won four straight points to go up, 15-14. USF answered with an eight point run, highlighted by a kill by
Makenna Rockeman, to go up 22-15. The Cougars won three of the last four points and Scott secured the victory with a kill to take the set. The Cougars hit for a .265 hitting percentage, while the USF defense held UMC to a .037 hitting percentage.
USF started off the third set fast, moving out in front, 10-3, after a pair of kills from Barfnecht. The Cougars continued their dominating performance with a four-point run to take a 17-7 advantage. USF won six of the last seven points to take the third set, 25-12 and win the match, 3-0. USF totaled an impressive .516 hitting percentage, while holding UMC to .207.
Through the match, the USF defense held Crookston to a .118 hitting percentage while recording a .340 hitting percentage for themselves. USF had 48 total kills during the match while UMC only recorded 23.
USF will return home to the Stewart Center to face St. Cloud State (10-5, 6-3 NSIC) in a battle for sole possession of fifth place on Friday, Oct. 5 at 6 p.m.
