WINONA, Minn. – Winona State University resumes its busy schedule of five matches in 10 days with a weekend road trip to No. 7 Southwest Minnesota State and the University of Sioux Falls. The Warriors face the nationally-ranked Mustangs Friday at 6 p.m. and conclude the trip with a 2 p.m. match at Sioux Falls on Saturday.
Six of the Warriors first 11 matches this season have come against teams ranked or receiving votes in the AVCA Top 25. Winona State enters the weekend at 3-8 (0-3 NSIC).
The Warriors suffered a 3-1 loss to Upper Iowa on Tuesday that sent WSU to its first three-match skid since 2015. Winona State hasn't dropped four straight in head coach Joe Getzin's tenure and have avoided such a stretch since 2013.
Winona State won the opening set from Upper Iowa only to see the Peacocks rally for three straight. Megan Flom and Paige Christopher recorded nine kills apiece in the setback.
Flom leads the team with 139 kills during her breakout sophomore season and ranks 10th in the NSIC in kills/set (3.39). Freshmen Cori Meyers (90) and Christopher (78) are next in the category for WSU. Fellow rookie Madison Rizner has floored 58 kills and ranks second on the team with 33 blocks. Senior Sophie Wilker is fourth in the NSIC in blocks/set (1.07).
Winona State ranks sixth in the NSIC in blocks/set (2.07).
Becca Pagel leads the Warriors with 158 digs. Bre Maloney is 11th in the conference in assists/set (8.9) and has tallied 96 digs to go along with 56 kills. She has reached double digits in assists and digs in six matches this year.
Following the road trip, the Warriors will finally enjoy an extended rest period prior to hosting (RV) Augustana and No. 18 Wayne State next weekend in McCown Gymnasium.
Scouting SMSU
The Mustangs (8-3, 3-0 NSIC) enter the weekend on a three-match winning-streak. SMSU has swept Sioux Falls and Augustana at home during that stretch while outlasting Wayne State in five sets on the road.
SMSU leads the all-time series 61-20-1 and has won two straight meetings with WSU. The Warriors last win came on November 21, 2015 in five sets.
SMSU ranks second in the league in digs/set (17.8) and is fourth in kills/set (13.78). Reigning NSIC/AVCA DII Player of the Year Taylor Reiss leads the conference in kills/set (5.15). She recorded a season-high 33 kills against Regis. Emma Thomssen is third in the NSIC in assists/set (11.98).
Scouting Sioux Falls
The Cougars (6-5, 1-2 NSIC) host Upper Iowa Friday before welcoming the Warriors to town on Saturday. Sioux Falls was swept in its most recent outing by SMSU.
Winona State leads the all-time series 6-3, but the Cougars did steal a five-set victory over the Warriors last season. Prior to that WSU had won five straight.
Sioux Falls is near the top of the league in offensive efficiency, ranking third in hitting percentage (.276). The Cougars rank fourth in service aces/ set (1.59). However, the Cougars are last in the NSIC in digs/set (13.45). Lexi Scott is fourth in the conference in hitting percentage (.422) followed closely by teammate Abby Feyereisen (.401).
