DULUTH, Minn. -- For the second time in as many days, top-ranked Wayne State swept a ranked conference foe on the road to improve to 14-1 overall and 5-0 in NSIC play.
On Saturday, the Wildcats took care of business at No. 10 Minnesota Duluth, getting past the Bulldogs for a 25-19, -17, -22 victory.
Wayne State never trailed as they remained the only unbeaten team in NSIC play, building solid leads in each of the first two sets and holding off a Duluth rally in the finale.
WSC led 10-2 and 17-9 in the first set. Duluth got as close as 20-17 before the Wildcats regrouped and closed out the set with a kill by Taya Beller and a block by Beller and Rachel Walker.
In the second set, the Wildcats again built leads of as many as eight points. Duluth got within three at 18-15 but the Wildcats came back to regain control and closed the set with a Walker ace serve and a kill by Maggie Brahmer.
In the final set, WSC led 14-9 before Duluth rallied to tie the set at 15-15. Wayne State regained the momentum and led 20-17, but Duluth rallied again to within one at 23-22 before two Duluth errors gave Wayne State the victory.
The Wildcats hit .330 as a team and forced 20 attack errors to go with nine blocks and a 5-2 advantage in service aces.
Brahmer hit .560 for the match and led the Wildcat attack with 15 kills and seven blocks. Beller added 11 kills, two blocks and two ace serves while hitting at a .526 clip. Walker had 39 assists and two ace serves and libero Jordan McCormick recorded a team-best 17 digs.
The Wildcats are back home for the next three games, beginning Tuesday with a 6 p.m. matchup against Winona State.
