Box Score Mankato, Minn. - A night after beating Sioux Falls in its home opener, the #11 ranked Minnesota State volleyball team welcomed the #2 ranked Southwest Minnesota State Mustangs to Bresnan Arena for an NSIC matchup. The Mustangs had some extra incentive coming in after losing its first match of the season last night to Concordia-St. Paul and they made quick work of the Mavericks in straight sets, 25-22, 25-19, 25-19.
 
SMSU jumped out to a quick lead in the first set scoring the match’s first three points. MSU rallied back to take a 13-12 lead behind stellar blocking from senior #Courteney Steinhauser#. The Mustangs slowly recaptured the lead at 22-19 and closed out the set with a block making it 25-22.
 
The Mavericks, who were facing a #2 ranked team for the second week in a row, looked to turn it around in the second set and had a 12-7 advantage. It was all Mustangs from that point as they battled back to tie it at 15-15 and closed out the set on a 10-4 run again stuffing an MSU kill attempt at the end.
 
Steinhasuer and senior #Chelsea Fogarty# tied for the team lead in kills with 11 on the afternoon. Freshman #Ellie Van De Steeg# dished out 33 assists while junior #Kelli Elhardt# had 10 digs.
 
Any momentum MSU wanted to get coming into the third set was quickly dissipated as SMSU raced out to an 8-2 lead. The closest they came to a comeback was at 21-18, but the Mustangs took control from there ending with a 25-19 third set victory and 3-0 match win over the Mavericks.
 
The loss drops MSU to 7-3 overall and 1-1 in the NSIC. Another tough opponent comes to Bresnan Arena on Tuesday when #3 Concordia-St. Paul visits for a 7 pm start.