MARYVILLE, Mo. - The No. 4-ranked Northwest Missouri State University volleyball team recorded a three-set win over the visiting Fort Hays State University Tigers in the quarterfinals of the 2021 MIAA Tournament held in Bearcat Arena.

Northwest won by set scores of 25-22, 25-17 and 25-20. Northwest improved to 25-4 overall. Fort Hays State fell to 13-17 on the season. The Bearcats extended their win streak to six in a row with all six victories coming in three sets.

Northwest advanced to the semifinals to take on No. 3 seed Washburn this Friday. No. 1 seed Central Missouri will play host to No. 4 seed Nebraska-Kearney in the other semifinal. Central Missouri will play host to the semifinals and final at the Multipurpose Building on the UCM campus in Warrensburg, Mo.

The Bearcats led from start to finish in the opening set. Northwest took an early 8-3 lead that forced FHSU to take a timeout. FHSU battled back to make it 15-14, but a 4-0 run by Northwest pushed the lead out to 19-14. Northwest had to hold off FHSU down the stretch of the first set as the Tigers closed to within 24-22. Avery Kemp delivered a kill to clinch the first set, 25-22. Northwest hit .310 in the opening set with 16 kills and three errors.

Northwest again led from start to finish in the second set to take a 2-0 lead. Northwest bounced out to a 7-3 advantage that had FHSU taking another timeout. FHSU climbed to within 8-6 before Northwest used a 4-1 spurt to open up a 12-7 lead. Northwest extended the lead to eight at 19-11. The 'Cats would close out the set with a 25-17 victory. Northwest committed nine attack errors in the second set and hit .114 with 14 kills. FHSU hit .000 with five kills and five errors.

The third set featured seven ties and five lead changes. FHSU held a 9-7 lead when Northwest head coach Amy Woerth used her first timeout of the match. Northwest would eventually trail 11-8 before turning it around. Northwest leveled the set at 15-15 and FHSU took a timeout. Northwest finished the match on a 10-5 run to secure the three-set triumph, 25-20.

Freshman Avery Kemp tallied a career-high tying 11 kills. Junior Rachel Sturdevant led the Bearcats with 12 kills (.333), three blocks and a service ace. Freshman Payton Kirchhoefer put down 11 kills for her 24th double-figure kill effort on the season. Junior Kelsey Havel notched her third 20-plus dig effort with 20 digs. Sophomore Alyssa Rezac ran the Bearcat offense to the tune of 41 assists. Junior Hannah Koechl earned a match-high 25 digs.

NOTES: Northwest won all three matches against Fort Hays State this season ... Northwest has won nine straight matchups with Fort Hays State and holds a 23-8-1 all-time record vs. the Tigers ... Northwest posted 49 kills, while FHSU recorded 28 kills ... Northwest hit .209 and FHSU hit .109 ... Northwest registered six service aces.