The Wayne State volleyball team bounced back from a loss to one of the top teams in the nation to come home with a split in Northern Conference action over the weekend.
On Friday, No. 2 ranked Northern State posted a .392 attack percentage and, after two close sets, pulled away in the third set for a 25-22, 25-20 and 25-14 sweep over Wayne State College at Wachs Arena in Aberdeen, S.D.
Wayne State battled with the Wolves for the first two sets, but could not keep pace with the hot-hitting Northern State club. The Wildcats entered weekend play with the top-ranked opponent attack percentage in the NSIC, holding opponents to a .139 attack percentage.
The first set saw the Wildcats get down early 8-1, but Wayne State came back and got as close as two at 15-13 followed a NSU error to force a timeout. After Northern pushed the lead back to four at 20-16, the Wildcats rallied and tied the score at 20-20 thanks to a Jaci Brahmer kill, two straight kills by Katie Stephens and another from Tarrin Beller. Northern was able to stop the rally and went on to take the opening set.
The second set was a tight battle featuring 13 ties and four lead changes. Wayne State led 14-12 following a Stephens kill, but Northern scored five of the next six points to take a 17-15 lead, forcing a Wildcat timeout. The Wildcats countered with four of the following five points and regained the advantage at 19-18. But another scoring streak by the Wolves, producing seven of the final eight points in the set to give Northern the two-set advantage.
Northern State’s hot hitting was too much for Wayne State in the third set as the Wolves hit .457 with 19 kills and just three errors on 35 attempts to finish off the three-game sweep.
Northern State hit .392 in the match compared to Wayne State’s .211 (41 kills, 14 errors, 128 attacks). The Wolves also held a 4.5-3.0 edge in blocks on WSC while both teams had two service aces.
Stephens paced Wayne State in hitting with 13 kills. Beller and Alyssa Ballenger each recorded eight kills. Megan Gehbardt accounted for 39 set assists and libero Haley Kauth was credited with 11 digs.
On Saturday, Stephens recorded a match-high 15 kills while Ballenger added a double-double with 12 kills and 15 digs to lift Wayne State to a 25-18, 25-20, 25-12 sweep Saturday at MSU Moorhead.
The host Dragons held the lead early in the first set at 10-7 before the Wildcats took control of the set with six straight points for a 13-10 lead. Ballenger and Stephens each had six kills to pace the Wildcat attack in the first set.
The second set saw the Wildcats rally from a 19-16 deficit, closing the set strong. Wayne State used a pair of Stephens kills and a Maddie Knobbe kill to take the lead for good at 21-10. Sophomore Maddie Duffy then served up two aces to help close the set.
The third set was all Wayne State as the Wildcats built a 19-2 lead and cruised to complete the sweep. The Wildcats forced nine MSU Moorhead attack errors in the set including five blocks. Stephens and Brahmer each had four kills to pace the offensive attack.
Wayne State finished the match with a .192 attack percentage on 44 kills with 15 errors and 151 attacks while MSU Moorhead hit just .054 with 30 kills, 22 errors and 149 attacks. Wayne State held an 85-81 advantage in digs while the Wildcats had 10 blocks to five for the Dragons.
Stephens had a match-high 15 kills to lead Wayne State while Ballenger followed with 12 kills and 15 digs for a double-double. Gebhardt added a double-double with 40 set assists and 14 digs while Kauth had 16 digs. Duffy had both of Wayne State’s service aces and added 12 digs in the win. Brahmer and Knobbe each recorded five blocks.
The Wildcats (17-6, 9-5 NSIC) will be at home this weekend, hosting the University of Mary Friday at 6 p.m. and Minot State Saturday in a 1 p.m. contest.
