HAMMOND, Ind. -- The Wayne State University volleyball program (13-9) finished competition at the Midwest Regional Crossover with a five-set loss to Missouri S&T (12-7) on Saturday afternoon.  The two-day event was played at the Hammond Sportsplex.  WSU won sets two and three and dropped an exciting fifth set 18-16.

Following the completion of the event, Kamryn Duffield (Romeo, Mich.) was named to the All-Tournament Team.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The first set was tied at 6-6 and 10-10.  A kill by Lauren VanderWal (Caledonia, Mich.) gave the Warriors a 13-12 advantage.  The Miners regained the lead 20-17 but a Maddie Morrison (Flushing, Mich.) and Halle Shell (Port Huron, Mich. / Port Huron Northern) block tied the set at 22-22.  Missouri S&T won the final three points tot ake the opening set 25-22.

A combo block by Kayla Giroux (Flat Rock, Mich.) and Kamryn Duffield (Romeo, Mich.) gave WSU a 6-5 lead early in the second set.  Wayne State led 10-8 and 12-9.  Alexa Withun (Troy, Mich. / Athens) and Giroux extended the lead to 14-11.  S&T pulled within one 17-16, but the Green & Gold won the final eight points to win 25-16.

The Warriors led the third set 5-3.  Back-to-back kills by Withun and a point by Shell put the Warriors up 8-4.  The momentum stayed with WSU and a spike by Giroux made it 13-8.  A service ace by Sam Palazzolo (Shelby Twp., Mich. / Utica Eisenhower) stretched the advantage to  20-13.  Wayne State led 23-17 before thee Miners won four consecutive point to trim its deficit to 23-21.  A kill by VanderWal anf a block by Withun and Shell allowed Wayne State to go up 2-1 in the match by winning 25-21.

Wayne State started the fourth set up 6-4 but trailed 14-8.  S&T led 18-10 when the Warriors went on a 7-1 run to make it 19-17  The Miners regained control and led 23-17 en route to winning 25-21.

An ace by Morrison and two kills by Giroux gave WSU a 5-4 lead in the fifth and final set.  Within hit a ball of the S&T block to give the Green & Gold a 9-6 advantage.  WSU had leads of 11-7, 12-8 and 14-10 before the momentum started to swing back to the Miners.  Missouri S&T rattled off five straight points to lead 15-14 but Wayne State won thee next two points to go up 16-15.  The Warriors would not score again as S&T won the final three points to win and stun the Warriors.

LEADING THE WARRIORS
Four Warriors finished with at least 10 kills, led by VanderWal's 16.  Giroux had 15, while Within (14) and Morrison (10) both finish with double-digit kills.  Duffield had 58 assists, while Maddy Benoit (Farmington, Mich. / Mercy) dug 26 attacks.

ONE BIG THING
WSU's serve receive was the difference as Missouri  S&T had 10 aces.

UP NEXT
Wayne State will play at Ferris State on Thursday at 7:00 PM.