#1 Wayne State 3 #9 Southwest Minnesota State 2

            #1 Wayne State rallied from a 2-1 set deficit to outlast #9 Southwest Minnesota State in Northern Sun Conference volleyball Saturday afternoon in Marshall, Minnesota.  Scores of the match were 25-20, 22-25, 23-25, 25-16, 15-4.  WSC is now 11-1 and 3-0 in the NSIC while SMSU is 9-2 and 2-1 in the league.
            The opening set saw the Wildcats lead much of the set until a Mustang rally gave SMSU a 19-18 lead.  Wayne State then used six straight kills to close out the match – two straight from Kelsie Cada, two by Maggie Brahmer and two more from freshman Channatee Robles - to close out the first set with a 25-20 Wildcat win.
            The second set was another back-and-forth affair as neither team led by more than three points in the set.  WSC held leads of 8-6 and 9-7 while SMSU's biggest advantage was three numerous times as the two teams traded 13 ties and two lead changes.
            The final tie of the set came at 19-19, then scored four of the next five points for a 23-20 lead and the Mustangs ended with a 25-22 second set victory.  Taya Beller had five kills for WSC in the set followed by Brahmer with three.
            The third set was just as close between the two clubs, featuring 15 ties and nine lead changes.  Wayne State held the only three-point lead of the set at 9-6 and led 12-10.  The 'Cats held a 13-11 lead when SMSU reeled off four straight points to grab a 15-13 advantage.
            The teams were still tied at 23-23 when the Mustangs used a kill and block to end the set for a 25-23 win.  The 'Cats dropped the set despite a stellar .414 hitting percentage with 14 kills and just two attack errors.  Cada had five kills.
            After losing a hard-fought third set, the Wildcats stormed back in the fourth set never trailing to post a 25-16 win to force a fifth set.  SMSU closed within one at 13-12, but WSC put the set away with six straight points that was highlighted by three consecutive kills from Brahmer giving the 'Cats a comfortable 19-12 cushion. 
            WSC ended the fourth set with 14 kills and a .353 hitting percentage while posting four blocks defensively.
            The fifth set was all Wildcats.  Cada scored five of Wayne State's first six points on kills to give the 'Cats a commanding 6-0 lead to open the set and the Wildcats hit a sizzling .556 in the set with 10 kills and no errors while forcing four Mustang errors in the decisive set for a 15-4 set win to rally for the match victory.
            Wayne State finished the match with a .358 hitting percentage to .217 for SMSU.  The 'Cats held a 65-62 edge in kills over the Mustangs while Southwest Minnesota State had one more dig 74-73.  WSC held a 12-4 advantage in blocks while SMSU had eight service aces to five for the Wildcats.
            Brahmer matched her career-high in kills with 20 while posting a .459 hitting percentage.  Cada followed with 17 kills and 16 digs, Taya Beller accounted for 13 kills and seven blocks with Robles adding 11 kills.
            Senior setter Rachel Walker accounted for 53 set assists and a team-high 19 digs for her seventh double-double of the season.  Libero Jordan McCormick added 15 digs.
            The Wildcats are home Tuesday evening hosting Peru State in a non-conference contest starting at 6 p.m.