ABERDEEN, S.D. – No. 15 Winona State University completed a perfect run through its regular season conference road schedule on Saturday afternoon with a sweep at No. 7 Northern State University.
WSU knocked off Northern State by set scores of 25-22, 25-20, 25-17.
Winona (21-7, 15-5 NSIC) went a combined 16-2 away from home this season, including a 10-0 mark on the road against conference opponents. Eight of those road NSIC wins came in straight-set fashion.
The Warriors closed the regular season campaign on a season-best seven match winning streak and will turn their attention to the NSIC Postseason Tournament beginning next week.
Saturday's convincing win at Northern will also serve as a resume builder for Winona in hopes of reaching the NCAA Regionals for the second straight year.
Riding the coattails of a dominant sweep at Moorhead on Friday night, the Warriors shot out of the gate at Northern State and never trailed the seventh-ranked Wolves by a single point in set one.
Danielle Rampart and Maria Wrage combined for nine kills in the opening set and teamed up for the game-winning block on the final point to put the home team on their heels early.
Northern State put together its largest run of the night, a five-point stretch, in set two to take a 12-9 advantage looking to knot the match at one set apiece. Rampart and Wrage floored two kills apiece soon after to erase the WSU deficit.
The Warriors used a 9-1 run, including five straight points of their own, from the midway point of the match to distance themselves and eventually head to the set break with a suffocating 2-0 match lead.
Winona proceeded to lead wire-to-wire in the third and final game to cap the road sweep.
Rampart put down double-digit kills for the 23rd time this year, leading the Warriors with 12. Wrage and McKenna Larsen chipped in eight kills apiece. Larsen and Sarah Suits each had a pair of service aces in the match.
Lauren Kudronowicz led all players with four blocks.
Northern State concludes the regular season at 23-5 (16-4 NSIC) after splitting a pair of meetings with Winona this year. The Wolves will be the #3 seed in the NSIC Tournament.
Winona is seeded fifth in the postseason conference tournament and will travel to fourth-seeded Minnesota Duluth on Wednesday at 6 p.m.
