Junior outside hitter Channatee Robles and freshman outside hitter Delaney Miller each recorded career-highs in kills to power #7 Wayne State to a 3-1 Northern Sun Conference volleyball victory over #15 Southwest Minnesota State Saturday afternoon at Rice Auditorium in Wayne.  Scores of the match were 25-18, 23-25, 28-26, 25-21.  WSC is now 17-3 and 10-1 in the NSIC while the visiting Mustangs slip to 13-5 and 6-5 in league play.
            The 'Cats never trailed in the opening set and pulled away late for a 25-18 win over the Mustangs.  With WSC leading 17-15, the 'Cats used consecutive kills from Miller, a Laney Kathol solo block and an SMSU attack error to extend the advantage to 21-15 and closed the set with a 25-18 win.
            Miller had six kills in the opening set for the 'Cats followed by Robles recording four.
            The second set saw the Mustangs even the match with a 25-23 win.  WSC nearly rallied from a 21-16 deficit as the 'Cats closed within one at 23-22 following a Chloe Hanel block.  But SMSU closed the set with a block and kill to finish with a 25-23 win.
            Miller had another six kills in the second set for the 'Cats with Robles adding five.
            In the third set, WSC led for most of the set and later overcame a Mustang set point to go extra points and finish with a 28-26 victory.
            WSC held an 18-14 lead but SMSU rallied to grab a 22-21 advantage.  The 'Cats got a kill from Chloe Hanel and back-to-back kills from Robles to earn set point at 24-22 only to watch the Mustangs score three straight points and give SMSU set point a 25-24.  Another kill by Robles and a Mustang error put the 'Cats in front 26-25.  After an SMSU point, WSC used a Miller kill and an attack error by SMSU to clinch the 28-26 third set win.
            Robles had eight kills and a service ace in the third set with Miller adding four.
            The fourth set featured 10 ties and six lead changes between the two clubs until WSC surged late in the set to win the match 25-21.
            With WSC leading 18-17, the 'Cats scored three straight points to take one of the biggest leads of the set at 21-17 following a kill from Mattie Kamery and consecutive kills by Robles.  After an SMSU point, the 'Cats got another Robles kill and ace by Kamery to go up 23-18 and closed with a 25-21 set win.
            Robles (7) and Miller (5) combined for 12 of Wayne State's 15 kills in the clinching set.
            Wayne State finished the match hitting .241 compared to .224 for SMSU.  Both teams had 64 kills but WSC forced five more attack errors (23-18) in the win.  SMSU had a 95-87 edge in digs and 11-6 in blocks while Wayne State had one more service ace (5-4).
            Robles recorded her eighth double-double of the season thanks to a career-high 24 kills and 18 digs.  Her previous career-best was 20 vs. Cal State Los Angeles in the 2023 season.  Miller also produced a career-high with 21 kills, topping her previous high of 19 against #16 Minnesota Duluth on September 26^th.  Hanel added eight kills and four blocks.
            Sophomore libero Anna Borner also recorded a career-high of 31 digs, bettering her previous best of 25 against Minnesota Duluth and sophomore setter Molly Romano was credited with 50 set assists.
            The Wildcats play three NSIC road matches next week, starting Tuesday evening with an 6 p.m. contest at Augustana in Sioux Falls.