DENVER, Colo. – The No. 10-ranked Northwest Missouri State University disposed of the No. 16-ranked Angelo State University Belles in a three-set sweep to begin play in the 2022 Colorado Premier Challenge.
Northwest won by set scores of 25-11, 25-13 and 25-15 to improve to 5-0 on the season.
The Bearcats hit .324 for the match with 46 kills, while limiting the Belles to .019 with 21 kills and 19 attack errors. Northwest managed a season-high 19 total blocks led by
Abby Brunssen's nine blocks, including two solos.
Northwest's balanced offensive attack had five players with at least seven kills.
Avery Kemp and
Jaden Ferguson secured nine kills, while
Olivia Dir and Brunssen notched eight kills.
Payton Kirchhoefer posted seven kills.
The Bearcats defense was just as balanced with four players earning double figures in digs.
Kristen Ford (12 digs), Dir (12 digs), Kirchhoefer (10 digs) and
Alyssa Rezac (10 digs) all had double-figure dig totals. Rezac earned her third double-double of the year with 30 assists.
Northwest came out firing on all cylinders by scoring the first 10 points of the match. Northwest would eventually take a 12-1 lead to start the match. Angelo State climbed to within 15-9, but Northwest hit them with a 9-0 spurt to take a 24-9 lead. Northwest hit .242 in the opener with 12 kills and four attack errors. Angelo State hit minus-.121 with four kills and eight attack errors.
The Bearcats took a 2-0 lead with a 25-13 triumph in the second set. Northwest used a 4-0 run to turn a 12-10 lead into a 16-10 advantage midway through the set. The Bearcats closed the set on a 7-0 run. Northwest hit .313 with 14 kills against four errors in the second. Angelo State hit .027 with eight kills and seven attack errors. Northwest tallied five blocks in the second stanza.
Northwest used a strong start in the third set to put away Angelo State. Northwest scored six of the first seven points to take a 6-1 lead. Northwest built a commanding 12-3 lead only 15 points into the third set. The Bearcats used a 6-0 run to push the lead to 19-7. Northwest would lead by as many as 11 in the third set at 20-9 en route to a 25-15 win.
The Bearcats will play their second match of pool play later tonight at 7 p.m. (CT) against No. 4-ranked MSU Denver.
