WINONA, Minn. – For the first time this season, Winona State University produced back-to-back sweeps, downing Bemidji State University in straight sets on Saturday evening in McCown Gymnasium. Seniors Taylor Goar and Maria Wrage combined for 19 kills while freshman Cori Meyers floored eight.
The Warriors return to the .500 mark in conference play (8-8 NSIC) while improving to 11-13 overall with four matches remaining in the regular season. Bemidji State falls to 5-19 (2-14 NSIC) with its 10th straight loss.
Winona State won its sixth straight set overall this weekend by scores of 22-22, 25-20 and 25-12 over the Beavers.
Sophomore setter Bre Maloney dished out 35 assists as the offense hit a .267 clip in the victory; improving in accuracy each set as the match progressed. Freshman Hannah McCann also chipped in three assists as WSU matched its season high of 44 assists in a three-set match.
Trailing 11-9 in the opening set, Madison Rizner drilled a kill off a Maloney assist to spark a six-point Warrior run that was aided by a pair of Goar service aces and the home team never trailed again. Goar finished the first set with five kills, including the final two to seal the triumph.
Game two saw the Beavers race out to an 9-2 lead and lead by as many as nine points at 12-3 before Winona State flipped the switch to go on a 12-2 run. During the spurt, the Warriors scored eight straight as Wrage downed four straight kills to knot the score at 13-13. When it was all said and done, the Warriors lead 17-14 and held off Bemidji State with Goar once again pumping the final kill.
The Warriors led wire-to-wire in set three with Meyers dropped the game-winning ace on the Beavers.
A night after scoring five aces, WSU put six on Bemidji State. Goar led the way with three aces as she moved into 12th place all-time over the weekend and now sits on 110 career aces.
Rizner was the leader at the net with three blocks while adding five kills in the sweep. Meyers had a team-best 15 digs followed by Becca Pagel with 13, and Goar with 11 for her ninth double-double of the season.
The Warriors will embark on their final road trip of the regular season next weekend with matches at (RV) Wayne State and Augustana University. Winona State owns wins over both teams already this year and will need a repeat performance in order to help aid its playoff push.
