WINONA, Minn. – Winona State University returns to McCown Gymnasium on a season-long four-match winning streak for a pair of pivotal matches in the NSIC standings. First serve on Friday with MSU Moorhead is slated for 7 p.m.
The Warriors open Homecoming weekend against the Moorhead Dragons who are currently tied with WSU for eighth in the conference. Winona State then hosts No. 2 Northern State in search of its third straight win against a nationally-ranked NSIC foe. That match is set for 5 p.m. on Saturday night.
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SCOUTING MSU MOORHEAD: The Dragons (9-7, 5-4 NSIC) travel to Winona in the midst of a two-match skid. Moorhead was swept by Minnesota State Mankato and No. 1 Concordia-St. Paul in its last two outings. The Dragons lead the all-time series with WSU, 57-32, but the Warriors have won six straight and eight of the last 10 meetings dating back to 2010. Moorhead ranks 14th in the NSIC in team hitting percentage (.167), fifth in digs/set (17.02) and fourth in blocks/set (2.17). Amanda Carlson leads the Dragons and ranks 15th in the NSIC in kills/set (2.98). Monica Vega ranks second in the league in digs/set (5.07) and Kylie Kanwischer is sixth in blocks/set (1.02).
SCOUTING NORTHERN STATE: The Wolves (16-1, 8-1 NSIC) travel to Upper Iowa Friday prior to Saturday's showdown in Winona. Northern suffered its lone loss of the season at then-No. 9 Minnesota Duluth two weeks ago in a 3-2 affair. The Wolves have recorded 12 sweeps this year, including seven in a row to open the season. The Warriors and Wolves split their 2017 meetings with each team tallying a road victory. Northern owns a 32-29 all-time series edge with WSU winning four of the last six matchups. The Wolves lead in the NSIC in hitting percentage (.330) while holding opponents to a .138 clip – second-best in the league. Northern also leads the conference in aces/set (1.76). Jenna Reiff leads all Division II players with a .438 hitting percentage. Morgan Baufield is second in the NSIC with a .410 clip and Hailey Busch ranks fifth in kills/set (4.02). Ashley Rozell has an NSIC-best 37 service aces.
LEAVING HER MARK: Senior Taylor Goar continues her climb up the Winona State record book in her final season as a Warrior. Goar enters the weekend ranked seventh all-time in career kills (1,157), 13th in digs (1,175) and 11th in service aces (113). She is one of just seven players in program history with over 1,000 career digs and kills. Goar has been on a tear as of late, recording a double-double (digs/kills) in each of her last five matches. She hit a season-best .480 last Saturday in WSU's sweep at UMary. Taylor's sister, Bry, is a freshman for the Northern State Wolves.
BLOCK PARTY: Senior Sophie Wilker is having a career year and leads the team in total blocks (70) while ranking third in the NSIC in blocks/set (1.17). Wilker recorded a career-best seven blocks in a win at Indianapolis and matched that the next day vs. Wheeling Jesuit. She has posted at least five blocks in seven matches this year.
YOUNG AT HEART: The freshmen trio of Cori Meyers, Paige Christopher and Madison Rizner has contributed in a big way for Winona State this year. They ranked second, third and fourth, respectively, on the team in kills with a combined 338 kills which accounts for 42 percent of the team's offense. Rizner also ranks second on the team with 54 blocks. Leading the group of underclassmen is sophomore Megan Flom who has burst onto the scene this season. Flom's 190 kills rank 13th in the NSIC. Her 25-kill outing vs. Harding this year is tied for ninth-most in program history.
READY, SET, KILL: Sophomore Bre Maloney ranks seventh in the NSIC this season in set assists (612). The setter has helped guide the Warriors to back-to-back matches with a team hitting percentage over .300. Winona State is collectively hitting .200 entering the weekend – its highest mark of the year. Maloney leads the team with nine double-doubles (assists/digs) and shares the team lead with 12 service aces. She has totaled 50 set assists on two occasions this season and recorded a career-high 23 digs vs. Wayne State.
