The No. 3-ranked Wayne State volleyball team made it a clean sweep for the weekend with two more straight-set wins in the second day of the Thunderwolves Classic Volleyball Tournament in Pueblo, Colo.
In the first game, the Wildcats handed Texas A&M Kingsville its first loss of the season with a 25-15, 25-15 and 25-22 win over the Javelinas.
The first set was close early until senior Alyssa Frauendorfer served four straight points, highlighted by kills from Alex Opperman and Michaela Mestl to take the lead for good at 11-8. The Wildcats then put the set out of reach when Michaela Mestl notched two service aces to put WSC in front 17-11 and they went on to take the first set.
Sophomore Payton Ruhl served six straight points including a service ace early in the second set to give Wayne State a 9-3 advantage. The Wildcats forced Texas A&M Kingsville into 10 attack errors in the second set as WSC cruised to another easy win.
The third set was much closer, but Wayne State came up with big points down the stretch to complete the sweep. Trailing 21-20, Wayne State got a kill from Erin Gross to tie the score at 21-21. Back-to-back attack errors on the Javelinas put Wayne State ahead to stay as they went on to clinch the three-game sweep.
Frauendorfer paved the way for the Wildcats with 16 kills, hitting .609 for the match. Gross followed with seven kills and Mestl finished with six. Mestl had 14 digs followed by freshman libero Haley Kauth with 13 and Bree Ackermann with 11. Mestl had three service aces for the Wildcats while sophomore setter Megan Gebhardt finished with 26 set assists.
In their second match Saturday, the Wildcats took care of Western State with a 25-18, 25-15, 25-9 win to improve to 8-0 on the season.
The Wildcats hit .273 for the match with 40 kills, 13 errors and 99 attacks while holding Western State to an attack percentage of .010 with 24 kills, 23 errors and 104 attempts.
Senior Natalie Vondrak recorded a double-double with 12 kills and 15 digs to lead the Wildcats followed by Mestl with 12 kills. Opperman added eight kills and had a team-best four blocks. Kauth produced 16 digs in the win while Gebhardt handed out 31 assists.
Wayne State opens Northern Sun Conference play Thursday evening, visiting the University of Sioux Falls in a 7 p.m. contest.
