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Wayne State University Athletics

Taylor Wagner
Taylor Wagner had a double-double on Thursday.
2
Wayne State WSU 20-9
3
Winner Michigan Tech MTU 25-6
Wayne State WSU
20-9
2
Final
3
Michigan Tech MTU
25-6
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 5 F
Wayne State WSU 16 20 25 25 8 (2)
Michigan Tech MTU 25 25 18 19 15 (3)

Game Recap: Volleyball | | Cameron Weidenthaler, Assistant Media Relations Director

Volleyball Drops Five-Set Battle to Finish Season

The Warriors trailed 2-0 before forcing a fifth set.

BIG RAPIDS, Mich. -- The Wayne State University volleyball program (20-9 overall) met #20-Michigan Tech (25-6 overall) in the opening round of the NCAA Midwest Regional on Thursday afternoon and the Warriors fought hard but lost in five sets, 3-2.  The Huskies won the first two sets 25-16 and 25-20 before WSU forced a fifth set by winning sets three and four 25-18 and 25-19, respectively.  Tech took the decisive set 15-8.

The tournament is being hosted by Ferris State.  It was the third time in program history that WSU played in the NCAA postseason (1987 and 1994). 

HOW IT HAPPENED
The teams traded points to begin the opening set and were tied at 3-3.  Lauren VanderWal (Caledonia, Mich.) made it 4-3 but the set remained tied at 7-7 following a WSU error.  A spike by Jenna Kray (Westerville, Ohio / Worthington Christian) made it 9-8 in favor of the Warriors.  WSU trailed 14-10 after a 6-0 run forcing Wayne State to take a timeout.  VanderWal kept the Green & Gold close, 16-13, with a kill.  Halle Shell (Port Huron, Mich. / Port Huron Northern) and Kamryn Duffield (Romeo, Mich.) collaborated on a block to trim the Michigan Tech advantage to 17-14.  The Warriors trailed 21-15 and the Huskies would go on to win 25-16.

Wayne State trailed 6-2 to start the second set and eventually 9-3.  An ace from Maddy Benoit (Farmington, Mich. / Mercy) made it 9-5 and a kill from Taylor Wagner (St. Joseph, Mich. / Lakeshore) brought WSU within three, 9-6.  A point from Shell cut the MTU lead to 11-9.  Back-to-back kills from Kray made it 14-13.  WSU tied it at 15-15 following another ace from Benoit.  A huge block from Shell and Alexa Withun (Troy, Mich. / Athens) kept the set at tied 17-17.  However, Michigan Tech won the next three points to lead 20-17.  Wayne State were unable to create any momentum and the Huskies led 22-18.  A kill by Wagner made it 22-20 but a point from Olivia Ghormley slowed WSU's rally.  MTU won the second set 25-20 to take a 2-0 match lead.

Kills from Wagner and VanderWal plus two Michigan Tech errors gave Wayne State a 4-0 lead to begin the third set.  A point by Shell made it 7-4 in favor of the Green & Gold.  The Huskies began to chip away at WSU's lead until it was 8-7, Warriors.  A MTU attacking error made it 10-8 but the set was tied at 11-11.  Three straight blocks gave WSU a 15-11 advantage and then Wagner added another point with a kill.  Tech used an ace to pull within three, 18-15.  VanderWal gave WSU a 22-16 lead with a kill and a poor serve pushed Wayne State ahead 23-17.  A point by Withun and a MTU error gave the Warriors a 25-18 victory to avoid the sweep.  

The fourth set started with Michigan Tech winning the first two points.  The Warriors led 7-5 after a point by Shell.  Duffield found Withun on the right side for a kill to give WSU a 9-6 advantage.  Wagner pushed WSU's lead to 12-7 with a kill and forcing a Huskies timeout.  Kray's kill made it 14-8 and an attacking error by MTU made it 15-9.  The Huskies trimmed the Warriors' advantage to 16-13.  VanderWal slowed MTU's momentum with a kill and gave Wayne State a 17-14 lead.  WSU led 20-16 following a point by Withun and an ace by Maddie Douglas (Brownstown, Mich. / Trenton) made it 21-17.  A point by VanderWal plus an ace by Benoit made it 24-18.  Duffield closed out the fourth set with a kill to give Wayne State a 25-19 victory to force a fifth set.

The Huskies led 2-1 to open the fifth set.  Duffield tied the set at 2-2 with a sneaky attack.  Michigan Tech used a WSU error tot ake a 5-3 advantage.  A service ace from Julia Malewicz (Macomb, Mich. / Utica Academy for International Studies / Henry Ford II) the the set at 5-5.  Tech led 8-5 before a Wayne State timeout.  The Huskies extended their lead to 10-5 out of the timeout.  Wayne State could not slow down Michigan Tech towards the end of the fifth set as the Huskies led 12-5 and won 15-8.

LEADING THE WARRIORS
VanderWal led the way with 15 kills, while Wagner finished with 14 kills.  Wagner posted a double-double with 15 digs.

 
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