Wayne State 3 #7 SW Minnesota State 2

Wayne State College rallied from a 2-1 deficit and downed #7 Southwest Minnesota State in five games Wednesday evening on Black Out Night before a crowd of 854 fans at Rice Auditorium in Wayne. Scores of the match were 30-25, 28-30, 15-30, 30-25 and 15-11.  WSC improves to 17-10 overall and 9-5 in the NSIC while SMSU slips to 20-6 overall and 11-3 in league play.

The Wildcats rode the energy of the largest crowd of the season early and won the first game 30-25 over the Mustangs, forcing SMSU into 16 hitting errors.  However, the Mustangs rebounded with 19 kills in the second game and evened the match at one game apiece with a 30-28 win over the 'Cats.  SMSU dominated the third game, winning 30-15 while holding WSC to just seven kills and nine hitting errors to take control of the match at the time.  But WSC came back strong in the fourth game, jumping out to a 22-11 lead, and held on for a 30-25 win to force a fifth and deciding game. 

In the fifth game, WSC jumped out to an early 4-1 lead, only to watch SMSU tie the score at 7-7.  But Wildcat freshman Megan Statton served up back-to-back aces to give the momentum back to WSC with a 9-7 lead.  SMSU got within one point at 10-9 following a kill by Leah Ashburn, but WSC used a Lea Hartigan kill, a block by Jenna Jansen and Emily Schroeder and a kill by Schroeder to go in front 13-9.  The Wildcats then used kills by Brittany Van Beek and Schroeder to finish the fifth game as WSC won 15-11.

Emily Schroeder posted her second straight triple-double to lead Wayne State, recording 20 kills, 13 digs and 13 blocks in the win.  Brittany Van Beek added 10 kills for the Wildcats.  Jenna Jansen was credited with 43 set assists and senior libero Laura Dolezal accounted for 32 digs.  WSC hit .120 in the match compared to SMSU's .126.

For the Mustangs, senior Erin Contons had 30 kills and 27 digs.  Setter Sara Graf handed out 66 set assists with 18 digs.

Wayne State will be at home this weekend, hosting Bemidji State Friday evening at 7:00 p.m. and Minnesota, Crookston on Saturday at 3:00 p.m.