MARYVILLE, Mo. – The No. 9-ranked Northwest Missouri State University volleyball team extended its winning streak to seven in a row with a 3-0 sweep of the visiting Missouri Western Griffons in Hughes Fieldhouse.
 
Northwest won by set scores of 25-15, 25-23 and 25-11. The Bearcats moved to 14-2 overall and 7-1 in MIAA play, while the Griffons dropped to 11-7 overall and 3-6 in league action.
 
Northwest built a 13-6 lead to begin the set. The Griffons climbed to within three at 14-11, but a 4-1 Bearcat run pushed the margin back to six at 18-12. Northwest closed out the first set, 25-15. Northwest hit .263 with 13 kills and three errors, while Missouri Western hit .051 with nine kills and seven errors.
 
Missouri Western led for the majority of the second set after building a 12-7 advantage. Northwest clawed back and leveled the set at 18-18. Northwest took its first lead of the set at 20-19. The Bearcats took a 24-20 advantage, but had to hang on for a 25-23 triumph to take a 2-0 match lead. Missouri Western held an 18-16 lead in kills in the set, but the Bearcats made only three errors to six for the Griffons.
 
Northwest kicked it into a higher gear in the third set to finish off Missouri Western, 25-11. After a 4-2 start, Northwest used a 7-0 spurt to take a commanding 11-2 lead. The Bearcats extended the run to 12-2 in putting together a 16-3 advantage.
 
Northwest will be back in action in the Hughes Fieldhouse Friday at 6 p.m. playing host to No. 1-ranked Washburn.
 
NOTES: Northwest has defeated Missouri Western in six consecutive matchups in the series … Northwest is 8-1 when winning the first set … Alyssa Rezac recorded her eighth double-double this season with 35 assists and 10 digs … Payton Kirchhoefer notched her 12th double-figure kill total with 11 kills … Jaden Ferguson secured her ninth double-figure kill performance with 12 kills.