WINONA, Minn. – Winona State University took (RV) Sioux Falls to the brink on Friday night in McCown Gymnasium, rallying from a 2-1 match deficit to force a decisive fifth set. Leading 14-11 in the final game, the Warriors were unable to finish the job against the regionally-ranked Cougars as USF surged from behind to claim the fifth set, 17-15, for the match victory.
Sioux Falls claimed the match by scores of 23-25, 25-17, 25-16, 19-25, 17-15.
Seniors Taylor Goar and Maria Wrage combined for 21 kills while freshman Madison Rizner floored a career-best 12 in the setback. The Warriors were forced to play without one of their top offensive players, Cori Meyers, who was sidelined due to injury in the pivotal match.
Winona State falls to 13-14 (10-9) with the loss and slides into a four-way tie for one of two final conference tournament spots with Minnesota State, St. Cloud and Upper Iowa. Sioux Falls improves to 19-8 (14-5 NSIC).
With their backs against the wall, facing a 2-1 match deficit, Wrage and Bre Maloney teamed up for one of the Warriors' 11 blocks on the night to open set four and Wrage followed that with a kill for a quick 2-0 lead. Winona State never trailed by more than one point in the must-win game, and took the lead for good at 6-5 with a four-point spurt beginning with a block by Rizner and ending with a kill by the freshman.
Clinging to a 16-15 lead, Rizner drilled another big kill to pad the WSU lead. The Warriors closed the set with a 9-4 advantage to send the match to a fifth and final game on another block by Rizner and Maloney. Winona State hit a match-best .351 in the set four win.
The Cougars opened the fifth set with back-to-back aces before an error and an ace by Kate Masberg knotted the score in what proved to be a thrilling back-and-forth game. Tied once again at 8-8, a Sioux Falls service error sparked a three-point run which Goar capped with a kill to give the Warriors an 11-8 edge. A block by Goar and Wrage, followed by a Rizner kill stretched the home team's lead to 13-10.
However, the pesky Cougars wouldn't back down even after Goar's kill gave WSU a 14-11 advantage to bring match point for the Warriors. Sioux Falls rattled off three in a row before another service error brought match point back for WSU at 15-14. A long rally ensued before eventually going to the Cougars and from there, Sioux Falls closed out its win with a three-point run.
Sioux Falls held a slight edge in digs on the night, 78-73, and recording eight aces compared to four by WSU.
Wrage led the Warriors at the net with a career-best eight blocks. Libero Becca Pagel had a team-best 21 digs. Maloney recorded 49 assists, 12 digs and three kills.
The Warriors conclude the regular season on Senior Day Saturday afternoon. Winona State will seek its second win of the year over No. 9 Southwest Minnesota State when they square off with the Mustangs at 2 p.m.
