MINOT, N.D. – The Winona State volleyball team dropped its regular season finale, falling to Minot State 3-1 Saturday night in Minot.
The Warriors struggled to find their target, committing a season-high 29 errors in the four-set defeat.
Set one was close throughout, with neither team controlling more than a three-point lead until the end. With the game tied 21-21, the Beavers went on a run of four straight points to win 25-21 and take a 1-0 match lead.
WSU was able to even the score in the second set. The Warriors jumped out to a 7-1 lead but saw the Beavers quickly counter with a 9-1 run to take a 10-8 lead. With the score tied 13-13, WSU tallied three straight points and led the rest of the way to a 25-22 win.
Set three was another tight one, with teams trading points and keeping it within two points for most of the set until a string of three straight Beaver points gave MISU a 19-16 lead. WSU quickly rebounded with three points of its own, but Minot countered again with four straight points that proved to be too much for the Warriors to overcome and won 25-21 to take a 2-1 match lead.
The Warriors dug themselves a 7-2 hole in the fourth set, one that the Warriors couldn't quite climb from. Minot would lead the whole way, but not before WSU closed to within one on multiple occasions at 16-15, and again at 21-20 after trailing 21-16, but Winona State couldn't force the decisive fifth set as the Beavers took four of the final five points to claim the 3-1 win.
Taylor Goar led the Warriors with a .234 hitting percentage along with 16 kills and 18 digs for her 11th double-double of the season. Senior Rachel Polland hit .267 with 10 kills, while Danielle Rampart led the team with 18 kills.
McKenna Larsen also recorded a double-double, dishing out 51 assists to go with 14 digs.
Jamie Cairncross continued to be strong defensively, recording a match-high 25 digs. Kalyn Biever also reached double digit digs with 12.
Winona State finishes fifth in the NSIC regular season standings and will compete in the NSIC/US Bank Tournament on Tuesday with pairings and location to be officially determined later.
