Despite a career-best 22 kills from senior outside hitter Katie Stephens, No. 13 Wayne State fell at home to No. 7 Northern State, 25-18, 23-25, 25-23, 25-21, Saturday afternoon at Rice Auditorium.
Wayne State led 13-9 in the first set, but Northern State stormed back and scored the final five points of the set to take the opening set. Stephens got off to a hot start for the Wildcats with nine kills on 18 attempts to lead the Wildcats.
Roles reversed in the second set, with Northern taking an early 10-8 advantage, but Wayne State reeled off five consecutive points to gain control for a 13-10 lead.
Wayne State led 16-12 before Northern rallied to take a 20-19 lead. The Wildcats responded with a block from Tarrin Beller and Kelsie Cada, followed by a Northern attack error and a Cada kill to help the Wildcats tie the match. Beller accounted for five kills in the set to lead the Wildcats.
Northern State built a 6-0 lead early in the third set and led 20-12 before holding off a late Wildcat rally to take a 2-1 lead despite five kills from Stephens and four from Beller. Wayne State led a majority of the fourth set until a late Wolves rally gave them the win and the match.
Stephens led WSC with her career-best 22 kills while Beller added 17. Beller paced the Wildcats with six blocks while Jaci Brahmer had five. Libero Haley Kauth notched 17 digs with Cada adding 15. Hoper Carter added 10 digs. Alyssa Ballenger had three of Wayne State’s five aces while setter Rachel Walker was credited with a season-high 54 set assists.
Wayne State (24-6, 14-6 NSIC) will play in the Northern Sun Conference Tournament starting Friday at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D. The Wildcats will be the No. 5 seed (24-6, 14-6 NSIC) and will face fourth-seeded St. Cloud State in a 5 p.m. contest.
