MARSHALL, Minn. – Looking to avoid its first four-match losing-streak since 2013, Winona State University returned to the win column in a big way on Friday night. The Warriors not only posted their first sweep since the opening weekend of the season, but it came at the expense of No. 7 Southwest Minnesota State University – on the Mustangs' home court.
Winona State (4-8, 1-3 NSIC) tallies its first conference win of the season while handing SMSU (8-4, 3-1 NSIC) its first conference loss. WSU won by set scores of 25-20, 25-22, 25-15.
Not coincidentally, the Warriors committed their second-fewest attacking errors of the season while hitting .214 compared to a hit just a .100 clip by SMSU. Senior Taylor Goar and sophomore Megan Flom paced the offense with seven kills apiece.
Kate Masberg saw game action for the first time this year since suffering a preseason injury and made a big impact with three service aces. Bre Maloney dropped a pair of aces on the Mustangs. Maloney guided the offense with 22 assists.
The Warriors overcame an early 10-4 deficit in set one and eventually took a 15-14 lead on a block by Maloney and Madison Rizner. A kill by Maloney gave Winona State the lead for good in the set and an SMSU attacking error ended the game.
It was the Warriors turn in game two to get out to a fast start with a 12-6 lead on a kill by Rizner. The WSU advantage swelled to 16-8 on an ace by Maloney before the Warriors successfully held off a rally by the home team. The Mustangs eventually knotted the score at 22-22 in front of three straight points to the finish line by WSU. Flom and Sophie Wilker teamed up for the game-winning block.
With a 2-0 strangle-hold on the match, Winona State put the pedal to the floor midway through game three to complete the sweep. The two teams traded points and the lead early in the set before a four-point run gave WSU a 12-7 edge. With a 17-14 lead, the Warriors rattled off seven straight points with the help of four Mustang errors to ice the upset victory.
Rizner and fellow freshman Paige Christopher floored six kills apiece for WSU.
The Warriors totaled six blocks led by Wilker with four.
Winona State concludes its weekend road trip at Sioux Falls on Saturday with a 2 p.m. serve.
