KENOSHA, Wis. - The Winona State University volleyball team opened play at the 2023 Hampton Inn Invitational hosted by the University of Wisconsin Parkside on Friday, Sept. 8. Winona State defeated Westminster (Utah) University 3-0 (25-21, 25-20, 25-19) and <> the host Rangers X-X ().

KEY DETAILS:
Final Score - Winona State 3, Westminster (Utah) 0  (25-21, 25-20, 25-19)
Attendance: 147

The Warriors rebounded from a slow start in the first set and never looked back in a 3-0 whitewashing of Westminster. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

Westminster jumped out to a 4-1 advantage in the opening set before the Winona State offense got in gear.  After the two teams found themselves tied at 18-18, WSU pulled away in set one, with Sidney Paulson knocking home an assist from Jaci Winchell for the final Warrior point. 

In set two, WSU and WU traded points up to a 18-18 deadlock, at which time Joe Getzin's squad reeled off six of the next seven points to take a commanding lead. A service ace by Kylie Welsh and another Paulson kill registered the decisive final two points for WSU.

Winona State took the third and final frame by winning seven straight points early in the set, breaking open a 5-5 deadlock. Combined with a four-point outburst moments later, WSU remained in the driver's seat throughout the set and dealt Westminster their fifth loss of the year. 

BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
Westminster becomes the third team in 2023 to have lost to Winona State in the first meeting of the programs. WSU downed Michigan Tech and Northwood earlier this year; both programs are teams the Warriors had not previously competed against. 
 
WINONA STATE STATISTICAL STANDOUTS

Kills

Paulson, Sidney (11), Pagel , Taylor (7), Vollrath, Gianna (7)

Aces	Welch, Kylie (5), Paulson, Sidney (1), Hennessy, Anna (1)
Blocks	Pagel , Taylor (4), Lange, Lydia (2), Paulson, Sidney (2)
Assists	Winchell, Jaci (29), Vaughn, Rylee (4), Paulson, Sidney (1)
Digs	Vaughn, Rylee (14), Hennessy, Anna (12), Winchell, Jaci (11)

Westminster TOP PERFORMERS

Kills	Curtis, Olivia (11), Jackson, Regan (9), Myers, Mailei (6)
Aces	Reardon, Abby (1), Huntsman, Breegan (1)
Blocks	Curtis, Olivia (2), Myers, Mailei (2)

 

---

KEY DETAILS:
Final Score - Winona State 3, Wisconsin Parkside 1 (25-17, 25-21, 25-xx)
Attendance: 127

Winona State continued to click offensively, taking care of business against the University of Wisconsin Parkside to move to 6-0 on the year. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Warriors nearly doubled-up the home side in terms of kills (14-8) and hit .257 as a team to pull away in set one, 25-17.

A back-and-forth affair in the second frame saw Winona State pull away late to stake a 2-0 lead over the Rangers. 

UWP would briefly turn the tide in terms of momentum in the match, taking the third set 25-22 over Winona State in the third frame, 

In the fourth, WSU again dominated play, holding a 22-9 lead at one point. Northwood chipped away to mount a comeback effort, but a kill by Gianna Vollrath and a block by Jayda Berg closed out the victory for head coach Joe Getzin and his team. 

BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
With the win, Winona State moves to 6-0 against UW-Parkside since. Sept. 4, 2010.
 
WINONA STATE STATISTICAL STANDOUTS

Kills	Vollrath, Gianna (19), Berg, Jayda (14), Paulson, Sidney (9)
Aces	Vaughn, Rylee (2), Vollrath, Gianna (2), Welch, Kylie (2)
Blocks	Berg, Jayda (4), Vollrath, Gianna (3), Paulson, Sidney (1)
Assists	Winchell, Jaci (41), Vaughn, Rylee (6), Hennessy, Anna (2)
Digs	Winchell, Jaci (13), Welch, Kylie (11), Paulson, Sidney (10)

UW-Parkside TOP PERFORMERS

Kills	Irvin, Ava (11), Fisch, Sam (11), Krznarich, Lindsay (6)
Aces	Lois, Karlee (2), Marshall, Sierra (1)
Blocks	Coon, Mariena (4), Krznarich, Lindsay (3), Fisch, Sam (2)

 
UP NEXT:
Winona State (6-0, 0-0 NSIC) wrap up play in Kenosha, Wis. with matches against Truman State (10am) and Purdue Northwest (2pm) today.  Read Full Article