No. 17-ranked Wayne State built a two set lead, but had to hold off a Sioux Falls rally to win a five-set thriller in the Wildcats’ home opener Thursday at Rice Auditorium, winning 25-19, 25-22, 20-25, 20-25, 15-12.
Wayne State used a late rally to win the first set after the set was tied at 14-14. Tarrin Beller had three kills and three blocks for the Wildcats while Megan Gebhardt, Katie Stephens and Haley Kauth each recorded service aces.
The second set was a battle that saw nine ties and six lead changes. With the score tied at 19-19, Wayne State used a kill by Alyssa Ballenger and a USF ball handling error to take the lead for good at 21-19. The home team closed out the set win with back-to-back kills to take the 2-0 advantage.
Sioux Falls came back in the third set, using three service aces and 13 kills, then hit a blistering .410 in the fourth set with 18 kills and just two attack errors on 39 attempts to force a fifth and deciding set.
In the finale, Wayne State went to senior Erin Gross, who produced four kills in the set while Beller accounted for three blocks as the Wildcats used kills from Ballenger and Gross to close the match.
Stephens led a balanced Wildcat attack with 16 kills and a team-high three service aces. Gross accounted for 15 kills and six blocks while sophomore Beller notched a double-double with 13 kills and 11 blocks. Megan Gebhardt handed out 48 set assists and had four blocks.
Defensively, libero Haley Kauth notched a team-high 21 digs with Ballenger adding 12 and Hope Carter chipping in 11.
The Wildcats (6-3, 1-0 NSIC) will be on the road Saturday afternoon visiting top-ranked Southwest Minnesota State for a 2 p.m. contest in Marshall, Minn.
