FAYETTE, Iowa – The Winona State University volleyball team opened a three-match road swing at Upper Iowa University on Saturday, Oct. 25 in a mid-week NSIC showdown. 

After falling in set one 25-15 in Dorman Memorial Gymnasium, Winona State battled back to compete point-for-point with the Peacocks in set two, trading kills back and forth with the home side. Near the end of set two, WSU pulled ahead at 24-21 but after a time out, UIU was able to level the score at 24-24 and eventually put the set away at 27-25.

In set three, WSU raced to 5-1 lead and outlasted Upper Iowa in another set decided on a razor-thin margin. The Warriors ended the frame by winning 26-24 taking the set thanks to back-to-back kills by Taylor Pagel and Madison Larson.

The fourth and final set went the way of the Peacocks, with Upper Iowa pulling away from WSU 25-18.  In set four, UIU was able to parlay a strong start to a 11-6 advantage halfway through and held on for the victory.
On offense, Winona State was led by Sidney Paulson with 14 kills, while teammate Taylor Pagel added 13. Jaci Winchell handed out 40 assists and added 10 digs.

Defensively, WSU saw Casey Volkmann collect 33 digs and Kylie Welch contributed 10 to the Warrior effort, as did Winchell. Taylor Pagel led Winona State at the net with one solo block and three block assists.

Winona State (12-11 Overall,  8-8 NSIC) will continue their road swing this weekend, traveling to #3 Wayne State College for a NSIC contest on Friday, Oct. 28 at 6 p.m.  Following their match up with the nationally ranked Wildcats, WSU will take on Augustana University on Saturday, Oct. 29 in Sioux Falls. The Warriors and Vikings are set for a 2 p.m. start time in the Elmen Center.