ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Winona State University volleyball team opened their 2022 campaign at the Concordia-St. Paul Invitational, finishing with a 2-2 record over the weekend.

WSU vs. Seattle Pacific
The Warriors opened their season capturing the first five points of the match, but ultimately dropped the opening set 23-25. SPU then went on to win the second and third sets to hand WSU a loss in the opening match of 2022.

In a rounded offensive effort, Sidney Paulson and Taylor Pagel each record seven kills to pace the Warriors. Madison Larson and Mikenna Joerger were right behind with six and four kills, respectively, Joerger was key for the WSU defense, recording a career-high 10 blocks to pace all players.
 
WSU vs. Ashland
In the second match of the day, Winona State was unable to get things going and fell in straight sets to Ashland by scores of 25-19, 25-22, 25-18.

WSU was balanced on the attack, where four different players recorded at least five kills. Larson led the way with nine, Ray Joens tallied eight, Paulson hit for seven, and Pagel had six kills. Kami Knutsen was in the action on many of Winona State's 36 kills as she assisted in 25 of them.

Casey Volkmann collected 13 digs to lead the Warriors while Kylie Welch, Paulson, and Knutsen each had eight. Collectively, WSU recorded 49 digs and four blocks.
 
WSU vs. Drury
Winona State opened Saturday with their first victory of the season, taking down Drury in five sets by scores of 25-16, 20-25, 23-25, 25-19, 15-11.

First year Jaci Winchell saw extended action for the first time of her career and facilitated a well-rounded Warrior attack. Winchell recorded the first double-double of her young career, dishing out 45 assists and recording 10 digs.

Joens set a career-high mark of 15 kills to pace Winona State, while Larson and Paulson each had 14 apiece. Pagel was key in the middle for the Warriors, tallying 10 kills and six total blocks. Volkmann recorded 18 digs, while the Warriors had 71 digs and 19 total blocks as a team to hold Drury to a .118 hitting percentage.
 
WSU vs. Oklahoma Baptist
The Warriors concluded their weekend with a four-set victory over Oklahoma Baptist to finish the CSP Invitational with a 2-2 record.

WSU took the opening set by a score of 25-18, but the Bison answered back in the second set to even the match at one apiece. The Warriors rolled to a convincing win in the third set and battled to an extra-point victory in the fourth set, 30-28.

The Winchell to Larson connection was working well in the weekend finale as Larson connected on 22 kills and Winchell totaled a career-high 47 assists. Sidney Paulson tallied double-digit kills as well with 12 of her own.

Volkmann led a strong Warrior defense with a career-high 25 digs, a part of the team's 88 digs holding Oklahoma Baptist to a .100 hitting percentage. Paulson and Winchell each recorded double-doubles for the Warriors.

Paulson was named to the SCSU/CSP Volleyball All-Tournament Team after recording 41 kills and collecting 40 digs to help lead the Warriors to a strong Saturday showing.

Winona State will now head west to California, where they will take on Stanislaus State, Cal State Dominguez Hills and Western Colorado on Sept. 2-3 to wrap up their nonconference schedule.

For the most up to date news in Warrior Athletics, please visit: www.WINONASTATEWARRIORS.com and @WinonaStateATH.
About Winona State University Athletics: 

The Winona State University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, as an integral part of the educational mission of the institution, is committed to offering opportunities to experience academic and athletic excellence for our student-athletes through two simple words: Graduate Champions.  

Fourteen Warrior programs compete at the NCAA Division II level within the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).  Winona State University competes as an affiliate member of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) in the sport of women's gymnastics.