MARSHALL, Minn. --- The Minnesota State volleyball team stumbled at No. 1 Southwest Minnesota State, 3-0 (25-15, 25-21, 25-14), Friday evening. 

With the loss, Minnesota State falls to 11-11 overall and 5-9 NSIC on the season. With the win, Southwest Minnesota State improves to 20-1 (13-1) overall. 

After exchanging points to open the match, the Mustangs quickly doubled up the Mavericks, 12-6, following a timeout. Southwest Minnesota State then pushed its advantage to seven, 17-10. The Mustangs went on to take the opening frame, 25-15. Micayla Porter passed out a team-best seven assists while Mara Quam posted a match-best five digs on the defensive end. 

The Mustangs rode home court momentum in the second stanza establishing a 10-6 lead. The Mavericks pushed back to cut the deficit down to two, 12-10, after Jackie Jones delivered her seventh service ace of the season. Minnesota State continued to battle pulling within one, 19-18, following a kill from Sydney Powell. However, the Mustangs went on to withstand the Mavericks to win the second set, 25-21. 

At the intermission, Southwest Minnesota State held the edge in kills (30-19), digs (21-20), and assists (27-19). Alivia Garbe and Morgan Olson led the Mavericks with five kills each. Quam contributed a match-leading nine digs while Porter handed out 12 assists.

In the third frame, SMSU jumped out a 9-4 lead to force Minnesota State to burn an early timeout. The Mustangs kept their foot on the accelerator increasing the lead to double-digits, 22-10. The Mavericks fought back with three unanswered points highlighted by a kill from Joie Veldman to make the score 22-13. Southwest Minnesota State went on to close out the frame, 25-14, and the match, 3-0. 

As a team, Southwest Minnesota State held the advantage in kills (41-26), assists (37-26), and digs (28-27). 

Quam set the standard for the Mavericks with a match-best 10 digs while Porter handed out a team-best 16 assists. On the offensive side, Garbe paced the Mavericks with seven kills and Olson contributed six of her own to round out the top performers. 

The Mavericks return to action tomorrow at Sioux Falls. First serve is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.