#15 Southwest Minnesota State posted a .331 hitting percentage in handing #2 Wayne State its first NSIC loss of the season Tuesday evening in Northern Sun Conference volleyball played at Rice Arena in Wayne. Scores of the match were 25-22, 25-18, 25-23. It was the first home loss for the Wildcats in nearly two years (November 9, 2024 when Northern State beat WSC 3-2) and snapped a 22-match home court win streak in Rice Arena. Wayne State is now 24-2 on the season and 15-1 in the NSIC while the visiting Mustangs improve to 19-4 and 13-3 in conference play.
The Wildcats played from behind much of the first set, trailing early 8-3 forcing a WSC timeout. The 'Cats appeared to gain momentum and used kills from
Mattie Kamery and
Mia Berg to even the set at 10-10.
After exchanging several ties and with the score tied at 16-16, Southwest Minnesota State rattled off four straight points and took a 20-16 lead. WSC responded and scored the next five points for their lone lead of the set at 21-20 following a kill by Berg.
SMSU then used a kill, a WSC set error and service ace to take the lead for good at 23-21 and closed the first set with a 25-22 win.
WSC had 17 kills in the first set, three more than SMSU. Berg,
Delaney Miller and
Chloe Hanel each had four kills in the opening set for Wayne State.
Southwest Minnesota State held the hot hand in hitting in the second set, recording a .425 hitting percentage with 18 kills and just one error, as the Mustangs controlled the set for a 25-18 win.
The Mustangs held a 15-10 lead at the midway point of the set, but WSC rallied and got as close as two at 18-16 following a
Channatee Robles kill. SMSU responded with a pair of kills and Wildcat attack error to regain a five-point advantage and finished the set with the 25-18 win.
Miller, Kamery and Robles each had three kills for the 'Cats in the second set.
Wayne State never held a lead in the final set and could not offset another 18 kills from the Mustangs as SMSU capped the sweep with a 25-23 third set victory.
WSC was down 21-16, but narrowed the deficit to one at 23-22 on a SMSU attack error and again at 24-23 following a Hanel kill. But the Mustangs got a kill to end the set for the 25-23 win.
Hanel and Robles each produced five kills for the 'Cats, who had 18 kills in the set.
For the match, Southwest Minnesota State hit .331 with 50 kills, one more than Wayne State who finished with a .248 percentage. SMSU held a 78-67 advantage in digs and 5-2 in blocks while both teams had three service aces.
Miller and Robles each had 11 kills for Wayne State with Hanel adding 10 and Berg nine. Hanel had two blocks while junior setter
Molly Romano handed out 39 set assists. Junior libero
Anna Borner had 19 digs with Kamery chipping in 17 and defensive specialist
Reese Johnson adding 12.
The Wildcats will be at home again Friday evening hosting #13 St. Cloud State in a Northern Sun Conference contest beginning at 6 p.m. in Rice Arena.
