WINONA, Minn. – Upsets are few and far between in the elite Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) volleyball season when more than half the league is nationally ranked. More often than not, its just competitive volleyball night-in and night-out with one side outlasting the other.
And, while Tuesday night's result in a packed McCown Gymnasium might go down on paper as an upset, given that Winona State University hadn't defeated Concordia, St. Paul in its last six attempts dating back to 2015, the Warriors went into the match expecting not only to compete, but confident they could topple the Golden Bears.
The Warriors did just that.
After dropping set one, 25-23, WSU rallied for three straight wins to claim the match by scores of 25-22, 25-15, 25-22.
Megan Flom led Winona State's scorching offensive attack with 24 kills. The junior is averaging 5.0 kills/set over her last five matches which includes four ranked opponents on the other side of the net. Flom also set a new career high for the third time in four matches with a .575 attacking percentage against CSP.
The Warriors collectively hit .317 against the No. 5-ranked team in the country that came into the night allowing just a .187 clip by its opponents. Bre Maloney set the offense with 49 assists – her highest total this season in a four-set match.
Flom was in rhythm from the get-go as she floored seven kills in the opening set that saw CSP eek out a two-point win. The teams went toe-to-toe for the duration, featuring 13 ties on the scoreboard, as the Warriors showed early, they were up for the challenge.
Winona State played big at the net in set two, totaling four of its eight blocks in the match while allowing just nine Golden Bear kills compared to 10 attacking errors. Cori Meyers dropped two of her three service aces in the victory as the teams went into the break even at one set apiece.
In set three, the Warriors broke a 7-7 tie by putting together a 9-2 run and claiming the lead for good. Leading 17-11, WSU didn't let off the gas and tallied six straight points to double-up the Golden Bears, 22-11. Flom recorded a pair of kills during the second run, as did Paige Christopher, who also drilled the set-winning point. Christopher and Flom combined for 12 of the Warriors' 18 kills in the game. Flom needed just nine swings to register seven more kills.
The Warriors saved their best for last in set four, tallying a .429 attacking percentage while committing just two errors. Both sides put together extended runs at the service line while forcing the opposition out of system. The Golden Bears opened the game with an 8-2 lead, but the Warriors would not be denied.
The Golden Bears led 20-17 before back-to-back kills by Flom got the crowd back into the match. CSP extended its advantage to 21-19, but that was the last time the Golden Bears went to the line with the lead.
Christopher hammered a pair of kills amid a four-point WSU uprising to give the Warriors a 23-21 edge. A CSP service error brought the game to match point which prompted a huge block by Madison Rizner and Kate Masberg to ignite the victorious celebration.
Rizner totaled six blocks in the match and added 10 kills.
Winona State improves to 14-3 (6-3 NSIC) while the Golden Bears fall to 13-4 (7-2 NSIC).
The Warriors' grueling schedule continues this weekend with a two-match road trip that begins at No. 6 Northern State on Friday and concludes at MSU Moorhead Sunday.
