By: Madie Brink
Box Score ST. CLOUD, Minn. – The University of Sioux Falls volleyball team fell to St. Cloud State in straight sets Friday evening at Halenbeck Hall. The Cougars battled throughout the match, including a competitive third set, but ultimately fell 25-18, 25-18, 25-23.
With the loss, Sioux Falls moved to 10-17 overall and 6-13 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) play, while St. Cloud State improved to 20-8 overall and 13-6 in conference action.
Match Recap
Set One: St. Cloud State 25, Sioux Falls 18
The Cougars opened the match trading points with the Huskies, keeping the score close through the early stages. Sioux Falls battled to a 10-10 tie behind offensive contributions from Abby Haus, Ella Walker, and Aubrey Gates before St. Cloud State began to pull away.
The Huskies used an 11-3 stretch to establish a 21-13 advantage. Sioux Falls continued to compete, scoring three consecutive points late in the set behind kills from Haus and Kyleigh Tangen, but St. Cloud State secured the opening frame, 25-18.
Haus led the Cougars' offensive efforts in the first set, recording seven kills as Sioux Falls finished with 13 kills and a .250 hitting percentage.
Set Two: St. Cloud State 25, Sioux Falls 18
St. Cloud State opened the second set with a 5-0 run, forcing Sioux Falls to work from behind early. The Cougars gradually chipped away at the deficit, using kills from Walker, Gates, and Tangen to pull within one point at 16-15.
The Huskies responded with a strong finish, outscoring Sioux Falls 9-3 down the stretch to claim another 25-18 victory and take a 2-0 advantage in the match.
Sioux Falls recorded 11 kills in the second set, with Gates contributing four kills to help lead the offensive attack.
Set Three: St. Cloud State 25, Sioux Falls 23
The Cougars delivered their strongest challenge of the evening in the third set, battling through 12 ties and six lead changes.
After falling behind 3-0, Sioux Falls responded with an 8-3 run to take an 8-6 advantage, highlighted by kills from Haus and Tangen and service aces from Lucy Larson and Gretchen Volk.
The teams continued to exchange points throughout the frame, with neither side able to establish a significant advantage. Sioux Falls held a 17-16 lead before St. Cloud State regained control late.
Trailing 24-21, the Cougars fought off two match points to pull within one at 24-23, but the Huskies recorded the final kill to secure the 25-23 victory and complete the sweep.
Sioux Falls posted its highest kill total of the match in the third set with 16, hitting .225 while adding two service aces.
By the Numbers
Abby Haus led the Cougars offensively, finishing with a match-high 12 kills on 23 attempts while hitting .304. Haus also contributed two digs and a block assist.
Ella Walker and Aubrey Gates each added seven kills, while Kyleigh Tangen also recorded seven kills to go along with five digs and three assists. Haley Wolfe contributed five kills and two block assists.
Hollie Peterson directed the Sioux Falls offense with 31 assists while adding four digs and two kills. Defensively, Maci Lerseth led the Cougars with 12 digs, followed by Faith Van Eck with eight and Gretchen Volk with six.
As a team, Sioux Falls finished with 40 kills, 38 assists, 40 digs, and three total blocks while hitting .191. St. Cloud State recorded 41 kills on a .267 hitting percentage, adding 42 digs and five service aces.
Match Leaders
Up Next
The Cougars will head to Mankato tomorrow for a matchup against the Mavericks at 3pm.
For all things USF Volleyball, be sure to download the USF Cougars app as well as follow along on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter! Be the first to know what's going on inside USF Athletics by subscribing to our Weekly Newsletter!
