MARYVILLE, Mo. – The Northwest Missouri State University volleyball team bounced back Saturday with a 3-0 sweep of the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith at Bearcat Arena.
 
The Bearcats won by set scores of 25-23, 25-19 and 25-12. Northwest had dropped a four-set decision Friday night to No. 11-ranked Central Oklahoma but found its groove Saturday against the Lions. It was the first meeting between the two programs as members of the MIAA.

Northwest is 10-7 overall and 4-3 in MIAA play. UAFS is 11-6 overall and 3-3 in league action having lost both matches this weekend.

Payton Kirchhoefer paced the Bearcat attack with 13 kills and 11 digs. Abby Brunssen notched 10 kills (.391) and five blocks, including a solo stuff.

The first set featured seven ties and two lead changes. Northwest was able to withstand UAFS in an evenly matched set. UAFS had 15 kills, while Northwest had 14 kills. UAFS had four errors to five for Northwest. UAFS held a 16-12 lead, but Northwest went on a 4-0 run to level the set at 16-16. The difference in the set proved to be three service errors from the Lions as the Bearcats eaked out a 25-23 win.

Northwest jumped out early to a 7-1. Northwest took its first eight-point lead of the set at 13-5 and eventually enjoyed a 19-11 advantage. The Bearcats recorded a 25-19 win in the second set to take a 2-0 lead in the match. Northwest was able to sideout at 78% in the second set (15-of-19) and hit .250 with 17 kills and four attack errors. Kirchhoefer and Maja Noehrer each landed five kills in the set. 

Northwest used a 10-2 spurt in the middle of the third set to put the match out of reach. Northwest turned a 12-7 advantage into a 22-9 lead. Northwest sided out at 84% (11-of-13) in the third set. Northwest hit .423 with 13 kills and two errors. UAFS hit .059 with nine kills and seven attack errors.

Northwest will travel to Newman next Friday and Pittsburg State next Saturday to continue MIAA action.