WICHITA FALLS, Texas -- Sophomore Sarah Garfield erupted for a career-high 22 kills to lead Midwestern State to a 3-2 win over Southern Nazarene on Senior Night Thursday at D.L. Ligon Coliseum.
 
The Mustangs clawed their way back to win the final three sets 25-14, 31-29 and 15-9 after dropping the opening two frames 25-19 and 25-18 to improve to 8-18 on the season.
 
MSU plays a crucial Lone Star Conference match Friday night against Cameron at Aggie Gym in Lawton with the winner earning a leg up in the battle for the final spot in the LSC Postseason Tournament.
 
The Mustangs  and Aggies are tied at 3-11 in league play just a half-game behind seventh-place Texas A&M-Commerce (3-10) as the top eight teams advance to the postseason.
 
The five-set match was the 11th of the season for the Mustangs which matches a school record set in 1992. MSU is 4-7 when taking matches the distance this season.
 
Midwestern struggled on the attack in the early going hitting .064 in the opening two sets before turning the tide in the third frame.
 
Garfield, senior Kat Molloy and freshman Angel Summers combined for 10 of MSU's 14 kills in the third set as the Mustangs rolled to a .312 team hitting percentage.
 
MSU fought off two match points in the fourth set before Garfield, junior Hunter Porter and freshman setter Christy Carruth put down consecutive kills to cinch the fifth set at 31-29.
 
Garfield proved to be the settling force in the fourth set putting down seven kills as the Mustangs forced Southern Nazarene into 12 attack errors.
 
MSU rolled out to a 7-2 edge in the decisive set and never allowed the Crimson Strom to creep any closer than five points.
 
Porter pitched in 13 kills and seven digs, while Molloy closed the evening with 11 kills and 21 digs and Summers added nine kills and five total blocks.
 
Sophomore defensive specialist Madelyn Johnson had 23 digs to lead back row efforts, while senior Casey Fletcher added 16.
 
Taylor Jacobs had 13 kills and four total blocks to lead Southern Nazarene which fell to 18-8 on the season.