DENVER, Colo. – Griffon volleyball (6-0) took down No. 2 Angelo State and No. 11 Concordia-St. Paul, both in four sets, on Friday at the Colorado Premier Challenge at the Berce Athletic Center at Regis University.

The win over No. 2 Angelo State is the highest ranked win in the program's NCAA Division II era, which began in 1989-90. It also marks the first win over a top five team since 2017.

The Griffons are also off to a 6-0 start for the first time since 2006.

MATCH 1: MWSU 3 No. 2 Angelo State 1
After a tight opening stretch in set one with the score sitting at 15-13, MWSU took full control, closing on a dominant 10-2 run to secure set one with a 25-15 victory.

ASU bounced back in set two, opening the frame on a 5-0 run, and taking that set 25-20.

The Griffons, however, closed out the match by taking the next two sets 25-21 and 30-28.

Taylor Russell led the charge with a team-high 12 kills along with four block assists.

Right behind her, Emma Salker posted 11 kills on a .435 hitting percentage and added two block assists. Trista Marx contributed nine kills and six block assists, while Noelle Sutcliffe also chipped in nine kills.

On defense, Holly Heldt anchored the back row with a team-best 27 digs, followed by Anna Weberg with 21 and Katelyn Diani-O'Day with 14.

The Griffons recorded 16 block assists as a team. In setting duties, Hayley Barsky guided the offense with 25 assists, while Diani-O'Day added 20 assists of her own.

MATCH 2: MWSU 3 No. 11 Concordia-St. Paul 1
The Griffons set the tone early against CSP, taking the first two sets 25-21 and 25-19 before the Golden Bears responded with a 25-19 win in the third.

MoWest closed it out in a tight fourth set, pulling away late and taking it 25-22.

Russell led the Griffons with another masterclass, finishing with a team-high 21kills on a .486 hitting percentage, while adding one solo block and one block
assist. Marx and Emily Loy posted nine kills apiece, with Loy chipping in four digs and a block assist.

Salker followed closely with seven kills and two block assists. Defensively, Weberg had a team-best 21 digs. In the setting role, Barsky dished out 29 assists, and
Diani-O'Day tallied 23 assists as well.

UP NEXT
The Griffons have punched their ticket to the gold bracket after sweeping both match ups in Pool 2 to lock up the top seed.

They'll square off against the Pool 3 winner on Saturday, Sept. 13, at 11:30 a.m. The opponent and game site are still to be determined.