Box Score #8 Wayne State 3 Sioux Falls 1

            #8 Wayne State overcame a hot start by Sioux Falls as the Wildcats rallied for a 3-1 win over the Cougars in the Northern Sun Conference volleyball opener for both teams Thursday evening at Rice Auditorium in Wayne.  The host Wildcats improve to 8-1 overall and 1-0 in league play while USF drops to 8-2 and 0-1 in the NSIC.
            The visiting Cougars used torrid hitting in the first set, posting a .441 attack percentage with 19 kills and just four attack errors to take the first set 25-21.
            Wayne State responded with some stellar hitting of their own in the second set, notching 19 kills with four errors for a .375 attack percentage to give the Wildcats a 25-17 set win to even the match at 1-1.
            The Wildcats took control of the match in the third set, pounding out 17 kills for a 25-17 win.  WSC then cruised in the fourth set as senior Courtney VanGroningen served the opening nine points of the set and the Wildcats never looked back in a 25-8 set win to complete the 3-1 match victory.
            Wayne State hit .340 in the match compared to .173 for the Cougars.  The Wildcats held a 63-45 advantage in kills and out-blocked USF 9-5.  WSC also had a 58-51 edge in digs on Sioux Falls.
            Hughes led a balanced attack for the Wildcats with her 17 kills and 21 digs, the third double-double of the season for the senior from Seward. 
            Junior middle hitter Alyssa Frauendorfer added 13 kills and four blocks followed by senior right side hitter Elizabeth Gebhardt with 10 kills and seven blocks.  Junior Michaela Mestl contributed 11 kills and 12 digs for her fourth double-double of the year.
            Setter Leisa McClintock was credited with a season-high seven kills and 52 set assists while senior libero Courtney VanGroningen had 16 digs.
            The Wildcats will be in action again Saturday afternoon, visiting #2 Southwest Minnesota State in a 4 p.m. match at Marshall, Minnesota.