Volleyball earns 20th win with Cookston sweep

Tuesday, November 5

St. Cloud, Minn.

6 p.m.

St. Cloud State

20-4,12-4NSIC

Minnesota Crookston

4-20,2-14NSIC

Minn.-Crookston

St. Cloud St.

Abby Templin goes for the kill in the Huskies 3-0 sweep of Minnesota-Crookston.

Photo by: Kylie Macziewski

11/5/2019 8:01:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

ST. CLOUD, MINN. – It's been 84 years…

Ok, maybe not that long, but it's been a while since the St. Cloud State University volleyball team won 20 games in a single season. Twenty-three years to be exact.

As of 7:27 p.m., that streak is officially over. The Huskies earned their 20^th win of the season in dominating fashion, as they swept the University of Minnesota-Crookston 3-0 (25-14, 25-18, 25-13), improving to 20-4 overall and 12-4 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) play.

St. Cloud State was completely dominant in the match, as the team recorded more points (59.0), kills (47), aces (5), blocks (7), assists (43) and digs (60) than Minnesota-Crookston. However, the Golden Eagles hung with the Huskies through the first 13 points of the opening set and even held a 6-4 lead thanks to kills by Sabrina Leuer and Porsha Porath. There was no reason for St. Cloud State to panic, as kills from Marah Mulso (Marshall, Minn. / Marshall) and Linsey Rachel (Maple Lake, Minn. / Maple Lake) resulted in a 10-7 lead for the Huskies.

Once St. Cloud State took the lead, the team refused to relinquish it. The Huskies eventually took a 17-12 lead before a six-point serving run by senior libero Clara Krenz (Oakdale, Minn. / North St. Paul) gave St. Cloud State the first set victory at 25-14 and a 1-0 lead in the match.

Like in the first set, Minnesota-Crookston started hot in the second and hung with the Huskies through the first 10 points. However, the Golden Eagles had no answer for St. Cloud State's offensive attack, specifically Phebie Rossi (Rapid City, S.D. / Stevens). The first year middle blocker recorded six of her season and career-high 12 kills in the second set and helped the Huskies take a 16-10 lead midway through the set.

St. Cloud State secured the 25-18 win with a strong serve from senior outside Abby Templin (Cold Spring, Minn. / ROCORI) and wasted no time getting an early lead in the third and final set of the night. Though the Golden Eagles again managed to hang around through the first three points, the Huskies ultimately proved too dominant and cruised to their 13^th sweep of the season with a 25-13 set victory.

Rachel and Rossi were nothing short of dominant in Tuesday night's win, as they led the team with 17 and 12 kills respectively, while Rossi certainly impressed with a .600 hitting percentage and five block assists. Krenz finished the night with a team and match leading 16 digs, while Taylor Olstad (Eagan, Minn. / Eagan) aided in the defensive efforts with 15 digs of her own.

Maddy Torve (Loretto, Minn. / Heritage Christian Academy) was once again outstanding as the team's starting setter, racking up 41 assists and piloting the Huskies to a .343 team hitting percentage Tuesday night.

With the win, St. Cloud State continues to make history, recorded its highest overall win total since 1996 and the most wins in NSIC play since joining the conference in 2008, as the team is now 20-4 overall and 12-4 in NSIC play. The Huskies will also look to continue their impressive win streak, as they host Minnesota State Friday, November 8 at 6 p.m. in Halenbeck Hall.