FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - In its first match of the 2012 season, the Wayne State volleyball team was defeated in straight sets by 25th-ranked Wheeling Jesuit University on Friday afternoon on the opening day of the Nova Southeastern Sharks Classic.  All three sets were decided by narrow 25-23 results.

Madie Kent (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich./Grosse Pointe North) led the Warriors offensively with nine kills and a .310 hitting percentage.  Kristen Bulkiewicz (LaSalle, Ont./Sandwich) had eight kills and a team-high five blocks.

The closely-contested match between the Warriors and the Cardinals, who were NCAA Tournament quarterfinalists last year, had 29 tie scores and 10 lead changes.  Approximately half of each came in the opening set, during which the teams were never separated by more than three points.

Wayne State held a 21-18 lead late in the second set before Wheeling Jesuit nabbed three straight points and four of the next six.  Much like the first set, there was never more than a three-point differential in the third.

Cydney Biessel (Ruby, Mich./Yale) had 22 assists, and Lindsey Graciak (Westland, Mich./Livonia Churchill) finished with 13 digs.

Wayne State will face Merrimack at 3:00 on Friday.