CLARION, Pa. -- The Wayne State University volleyball program opened the 2014 season on Thursday night in the Tony Banner Memorial Tournament hosted by Clarion University. The Warriors dropped their first match of the season 3-1 with WSU taking only the third set 27-25 to avoid the sweep. Clarion won its sets 25-11, 25-12 and 26-24.

The Golden Eagles jumped out to an 8-2 lead in the first set. Clarion tallied five straight points later in the set to pull away 17-7 and took seven of the last eight points to take the opening frame 25-11. Carlie Bieranowski connected for back-to-back kills to close out the set and give CU the 1-0 match advantage.

The second set was tightly contested to start and Clarion led 10-9 before the Eagles went on a quick 4-0 run to extend their lead to 14-9. A Heather Weiss (Fort Gratiot, Mich. / Port Huron) kill would pull WSU within two points 14-12 but that would be as close as the Green & Gold would come. Clarion ended the set on a 9-2 run and won the set 25-12.

A service ace from Carlee Hunt (Waterford, Mich. / Walled Lake Northern) in the third stanza tied the set at 7-7 and WSU would eventually take a 13-10 lead following an CU attack error. The Eagles took a 22-19 lead but WSU showed some character and would come back to tie the set at 24-24 and win the set 27-25 on a kill from Emily Norscia (Livonia, Mich. / Livonia Churchill).

WSU put up a fight in the fourth set and began the final stanza with a 6-5 lead after a kill from Hannah Moore (Louisville, Ky. / Assumption). The Warriors and Golden Eagles would trade leads until WSU would create some breathing room with a 23-21 lead. WSU reached 24 first after a service error from Clarion. However, CU would take the final three points to take the set 26-24 and the match 3-1.

Norscia led the offensive attack with 10 kills while Moore tallied eight. Brittany Guldan (West Bloomfield, Mich. / Walled Lake Central) dished out 24 assists in her first action as a Warrior. Madison Kielty (Commerce Twp., Mich. / Canton) helped the defense with 12 digs in her debut. As a team, WSU hit just .086 with Clarion hitting .144.

First-year head coach Tim Koth and the Warriors will look to get into the win column on Friday as WSU meets former GLIAC member Gannon at 3 PM.