No. 18-ranked Wayne State had a season-high 17 blocks, but could not overcome a season-high 23 attack errors as they were upset at Winona State 25-20, 18-25, 26-24, 25-17 in NSIC volleyball action Saturday in Winona, Minn.
Winona State led from start to finish in the first set as the Warriors forced Wayne State into eight attack errors and a minus-.024 attack percentage.
The Wildcats regrouped in the second set, producing 14 kills and a .250 attack percentage, to go with five blocks. Alyssa Ballenger had five kills to lead the Wildcats while Tarrin Beller accounted for four blocks.
In a back-and-forth third set that saw 10 ties and five lead changes, Winona State rallied from set point at 24-23 to score the final three points of the set and take a 2-1 lead. Wayne State forced 12 Winona State errors in the set that included four blocks, but has just seven kills with six errors for a .025 attack percentage. Winona State pulled away from a 15-15 tie in the fourth set to close out the Wildcats.
Wayne State hit a season-low .084 in the match on 37 kills with 23 errors on 166 attacks while Winona State posted a .125 attack percentage with 57 kills, 34 errors and 184 attempts. The Wildcats had a season-high 17 blocks in the contest while Winona State had 13 blocks.
Maddie Knobbe led Wayne State with nine kills followed by Ballenger and Katie Stephens with eight apiece. Stephens had a career-best 28 digs followed by Haley Kauth with 21 and Maddie Duffy 14. Jaci Brahmer led the Wildcats in blocking with nine followed by Beller with eight and Knobbe with six. Kauth and Duffy each had two service aces.
The Wildcats (11-4, 4-3 NSIC) will be at home Tuesday evening battling Chadron State in a non-conference match starting at 6 p.m.
