MARQUETTE, Mich. - For the second night in a row, the Winona State University volleyball team battled back to earn a fifth set. And, for the second night in the row, the Warriors won.
Winona State (2-0, 0-0 NSIC) earned a five-set win over nationally-ranked Hillsdale College at the U.P. Open, hosted by Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Mich. Combined with a 3-2 win over Michigan Tech in Houghton on Thursday, Aug. 31, WSU heads into the final day of the Wildcats tournament unbeaten on the year and looking for two more wins.
Key Details:
Final Score - Winona State 3, Hillsdale 2 (22-25, 25-22, 28-26, 12-25, 15-7)
Winona State pulled away in the fifth set to beat the Chargers, a team that has qualified for the most recent six NCAA Division II postseason tournaments.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Winona State lost the first set, 22-25 but battled back to take sets two and three by 25-22 and 28-26 scorelines.
Hillsdale earned the fifth frame with a 25-12 effort in the fourth set.
Winona State jumped out quickly in the fifth frame, leading at one point by a 8-3 scoreline. WSU would go on to claim the final four points to win the set, 15-7.
WINONA STATE STATS STANDOUTS:
Kills:
Sidney Paulson, 20;
Lydia Lange 11.
Blocks:
Taylor Pagel, 7;
Jayda Berg, 6.
Assists:
Jaci Winchell, 43.
Digs:
Rylee Vaughn, 23;
Sidney Paulson, 16;
Kylie Welch, 14.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
While WSU's victory on Thursday was their first-ever meeting with Michigan Tech, Winona State and Hillsdale College have history. HC beat the Warriors 3-0 in 2018 in Big Rapids, Michigan, but the Warriors have won two straight over Hillsdale, 3-1 in 2021 - also in Big Rapids - and Friday nights win.
UP NEXT:
Winona State will look to ride their momentum of the strong 2023 start, playing two matches to conclude the U.P. Classic. WSU will face off with Lake Superior State at 10 a.m. EST on Saturday and conclude their weekend at 2 p.m. EST versus Northwood University.
