Senior outside hitter
Channatee Robles recorded a double-double with a match-high 17 kills to go with 11 digs to lead #2 Wayne State past Lewis (Ill.) 3-1 Saturday evening to capture third place at the Colorado Premier Challenge in Denver. Scores of the match were 16-25, 25-9, 25-21, 25-14. Wayne State wins three of four matches over the weekend and improves to 7-1 on the year while the Flyers sit 5-3 on the year following the loss.
The Wildcats struggled in the opening set as Lewis forced eight attack errors that included four blocks and the Flyers took the opening set in convincing style 25-16.
WSC responded in a big way in the second set as the 'Cats raced out to a 13-5 lead and never trailed in dominating the Flyers 25-9. A Wildcat defense forced 10 Lewis errors, highlighted by six blocks, and held the Flyers to a -.114 hitting percentage to control the set.
Robles had six kills for WSC with
Delaney Miller adding four.
Chloe Hanel had three blocks.
Wayne State never trailed in a much closer third set with the Wildcats prevailing 25-21. The 'Cats took an early 6-2 lead and never let Lewis get closer than two points the rest of the set.
Robles had another six kills to lead WSC with
Mattie Kamery adding three while junior libero
Anna Borner accounted for eight digs.
Another fast start in the fourth set, taking an early 8-2 lead, propelled the Wildcats in the fourth set as WSC completed the match victory with a 25-14 set win.
Robles and Miller each accounted for four kills as WSC hit .419 in the set with 13 kills and no errors while forcing Lewis into nine more errors.
For the match, Wayne State had a .234 hitting percentage while holding Lewis to .100. The Wildcats held a 48-43 edge in kills and forced Lewis into 28 attack errors that included 10 blocks. Both teams had 64 digs and three service aces.
Robles' double-double of 17 kills and 11 digs powered WSC in the win. Miller followed with 12 kills while senior middle hitter
Mia Berg added 10. Hanel had five blocks with
Mattie Kamery and
Molly Romano each recording four. Borner finished with a match-high 18 digs while
Reese Johnson added 11 and Romano was credited with 31 set assists.
Wayne State placed two players on the Colorado Premier Challenge All-Tournament Team with
Channatee Robles and
Molly Romano two of the 12 players selected. Robles averaged 4.08 kills and hit .319 in the four matches while also accounting for 2.54 digs per set. Romano produced 10.46 assists per set while also averaging 2.54 digs to go with four blocks.
Wayne State will be on the road next weekend to open Northern Sun Conference play with a match Friday night at Minnesota State (6 p.m.) followed by a Saturday afternoon 2 p.m. contest at #1 St. Cloud State.
