Box Score #12 Wayne State 3 Winona State 1

            Sophomore Michaela Mestl recorded a season-high 11 kills to go with 17 digs for her first double-double of the season to help #12 Wayne State College top Winona State 3-1 in Northern Sun Conference volleyball Friday evening at Rice Auditorium in Wayne.  Scores of the match were 25-18, 25-22, 17-25 and 25-21.  WSC is now 19-4 overall and 11-3 in league play while Winona State falls to 14-6 and 9-5 in the NSIC.
            The first set was a battle early with 12 ties and eight lead changes, but WSC pulled away from a 15-15 tie to record a 25-18 win over Winona State. 
            The Wildcats never trailed in the second set and held back a late Winona State rally for a 25-22 win over the Warriors.  WSC recorded 17 kills and hit .298 in the set.
            Winona State gained momentum late in the third set, turning a 15-14 WSC lead into a 25-17 Warrior win as Winona State pounded out 20 kills and hit .425 against the 'Cats.
            But WSC re-gained the momentum early in the fourth set, taking a 7-0 lead, and the Wildcats never looked back in taking a 25-21 win to finish off the Warriors for a 3-1 match victory.
            Wayne State held a slight .292 - .284 hitting advantage over Winona State despite the Warriors recording six more kills than WSC (63-57).  The Wildcats held a 7-1 edge in blocks over the Warriors and took advantage of 12 Winona State service errors.
            The Wildcats had four players in double figures, led by sophomore Alyssa Frauendorfer with 13 kills.  Katie Hughes contributed 12 kills with 22 digs for her 12^th double-double of the season while Mestl produced a season-high 11 kills with 17 digs for her first double-double of the year.  Elizabeth Gebhardt also reached double digits in kills with 10.
            Junior libero Courtney Van Groningen was credited with 17 digs while freshman Riley Funk had a season-high 10 digs off the bench.  Junior setter Leisa McClintock handed out 44 set assists and sophomore Alex Opperman led the 'Cats in blocks with five.
            The Wildcats will be at home again Saturday entertaining Upper Iowa in a 4 p.m. NSIC contest.