Wayne State forced 34 attack errors that included 14 blocks as the 18th ranked Wildcats edged Upper Iowa Friday, 26-24, 27-25, 27-25 in Northern Sun Conference action at Dorman Gymnasium in Fayette, Iowa.
The first set between the two clubs featured 12 ties and four lead changes. With the score tied at 15-15, Wayne State appeared to gain momentum by scoring five of the next six points, taking a 20-16 lead following a Tarrin Beller solo block.
Wayne State still held a 23-18 lead in the opening set when the Peacocks stormed back to even the set at 24-24. The Wildcats closed the set with a Maddie Knobbe solo block and an Upper Iowa attack error.
Wayne State built an early 17-11 advantage in the second set, then had to rally from set point down 24-22 to win the second set. The Wildcats faced three set points from Upper Iowa and survived each one.
Down 24-22, Wayne State used a Jaci Brahmer kill and block by Brahmer and Alyssa Ballenger to tie the score at 24-24. After Upper Iowa regained the lead on a service error, Wayne State responded with Brahmer kill, Maddie Duffy service ace and a block by Brahmer and Megan Gebhardt to rally for the 2-0 lead.
The third set was another close battle that featured seven lead changes and 14 ties. Wayne State took an early 10-5 lead, forcing a Peacock timeout, but Upper Iowa responded with the next five points to even the score at 10.
Neither team led by more than two points the rest of the set. Wayne State faced a pair of set points again from Upper Iowa and again responded. Down 25-24, the Wildcats used a Brahmer kill, followed by a Brahmer/Gebhardt block and an attack error by Upper Iowa to close out the match.
Stephens notched her third double-double of the year with 10 kills and 15 digs for the Wildcats. Brahmer added eight kills with seven blocks. Beller and Ballenger each had six kills with Beller accounting for six blocks along with setter Megan Gebhardt, who had 30 assists and 11 digs for her second double-double of the year. Libero Haley Kauth had 21 digs while Duffy and Morgan Alexander recorded 17 and 14 digs, respectively.
Wayne State (11-3, 4-2 NSIC) will be in action again Saturday, visiting Winona State in a 4 p.m. NSIC contest.
