WINONA, Minn. – The Winona State volleyball team recorded perhaps its biggest win in program history, using a spirited effort to beat No. 3 Concordia-St. Paul in front of 805 fans in the home opener at McCown Gymnasium. The Warriors needed just four sets to down the Golden Bears 3-1 (25-13, 17-25, 25-23, 26-24).

The Warrior win snaps a 24-match drought against the Golden Bears dating back to October 24, 2000. The win also hands Concordia, which won seven straight national championships from 2007-2013, just its 10^th NSIC defeat in the past 13 seasons.

WSU, playing without Danielle Rampart, was led offensively by the phenomenal play of sophomores Maria Fruechte and Taylor Goar, who each recorded double-doubles and combined for 37 of WSU's 61 kills. Fruechte tallied 17 kills and hit a fantastic .452 along with 12 digs, while Goar hit .283 with a match-best 19 kills and 15 digs.

The Warriors got off to a hot start to roll to a set one win. WSU jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead to begin the match and the Warriors had opened up a 13-8 lead by the midway point of the set. WSU didn't let up, as it went on an 11-3 run, including the last five points, to claim a convincing 25-13 win in the opener. The WSU attack was clicking on all cylinders, hitting at a blistering .438 clip and committing just one error on 15 kills while holding CSP to just .111 with seven miscues.

Set two was a reversal of fortunes, as the Golden Bears took control early with a 6-1 spurt and the Warriors never seriously threatened as CSP evened the match with the 25-17 win.

But the Warriors would prove to be unfazed by the momentum swing. A Taylor Goar kill gave WSU an early 4-2 lead in the third set, and soon after, back-to-back attack errors from Concordia's Anna Schlaak put WSU up 7-4. The Warriors took their first significant lead of the match thanks to two straight kills from Fruechte to make it 11-6, but a Riley Hansen kill for Concordia eventually knotted the score at 17-17. Concordia looked like it was about to take control of the set and the match when it scored three straight points to jump out to a 23-20 lead. The Warriors wouldn't let it happen, though, using a Lauren Kudronowicz kill, then ace, to bring it within one. Goar then brought the Warriors even with a kill before a CSP error and a McKenna Larsen kill cemented the comeback with the 5-0 run to end the set and put WSU up 2-1 in the match.

The fourth and final set was back-and-fourth to the end. An early 6-3 Golden Bear lead was quickly brought back even with an ensuing 3-0 spurt, and neither team would lead by more than two points until a big block from Goar and Maria Wrage staked the Warriors to a 16-13 lead.

Freshman Jordan Runge provided a huge late spark with three consecutive kills as the Warriors and Golden Bears traded points to a 19-16 score. Concordia had one last bit of life left in it when it tied the score at 21-21, again at 22-22 and 23-23 before forcing the Warriors to survive a game point and even it at 24-24 when Goar came up with the saving kill. Another Goar kill gave the Warriors a match point before her serve led to an attack that went to long to give the Warriors its signature win.

Larsen notched another double-double, joining Gor and Fruechte with a 42 assist, 10 dig effort.

Jamie Cairncross led all players with an impressive defensive effort, compiling a match-best 17 digs.

Winona State (7-2, 1-1 NSIC) looks to build on the win with three matches next week, beginning Tuesday when it heads to Upper Iowa for a 7 p.m. match in Fayette, Iowa.