The top-ranked University of Minnesota earned points from nine different players as the Bulldogs swept St. Cloud State University in straight sets in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play on Tuesday evening in Duluth.

No. 1 UMD (10-1, 3-0 NSIC) used its entire bench in the third set after opening a 12-1 lead over the Huskies, knocking off St. Cloud State (5-6, 1-2 NSIC) in three 25-14, 25-16, and 25-13. Senior outside hitter Mariah Scharf went off in the third set, securing eight of her game-high 17 kills in the final frame as UMD hit .593 as a team, making just one error in the third and six on the night. St. Cloud State, meanwhile, hit .161 as a team with 12 errors and just 27 kills compared to UMD's 52.

Game one began with a back-and-forth rally between the two teams, who were tied as late as 7-7 before first-year libero Erin Schindler began the first many scoring streaks for UMD off of her serve and the Bulldogs pulled up 10-7, then 14-9, and finally 21-11 before trading points the rest of the way. Schindler would finish with 14 digs to lead UMD while junior outside hitter Taylor Wissbroecker added 10 on the night. Junior defensive specialist Teal Tomaszewski added seven.

In the second game, it was again Schindler who started a rally for UMD: trailing 11-10 after a kill by Scharf, Schindler took over serving duties for eight-straight points for UMD, finally snapped by a kill from Huskies senior middle hitter Sophie Jaskulske, who led SCSU with 13 in the match. From that point, the Bulldogs just held on as the teams traded points. Perhaps seeing a pattern, head coach Jim Boos started off Schindler serving in the third set and once again, the Bulldogs rallied, opening a 9-0 lead that eventually became 12-1. From there, the Bulldogs added to their already impressive attack as sophomore middle blocker Allison Olley entered off the bench to knock down three kills and a solo block. The exclamation point came late in the match as sophomore setter Sarah Heesacker, relieving senior Ashley Hinsch, dropped in her first collegiate kill on a trick set to collect match point for UMD. Hinsch had collected 42 assists on the match while Heesacker added two more late in the match.
OUTSIDE HITS
UMD runs its record to 68-3 all-time against St. Cloud State ... Scharf surpassed 900 kills in her career, now with 909 ... senior middle blocker Monica Turner moved closer to the 1,000-kill mark with nine to reach 970 in her career while also adding five blocks (one solo) in the match ... Huskies senior libero Brianne Stamer led all players with 15 digs on the night while the setting tandem of senior Allison Butler and junior Marissa Kline totaled 23 for St. Cloud.

UP NEXT
The Bulldogs will hit the road once again this weekend to take on No. 19 Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota and Minnesota State University Moorhead in Moorhead. Opening serve between UMD and 19th-ranked NSU is set for 7:00 p.m. on Friday night.