BIG RAPIDS, Mich. -- The Wayne State University volleyball team opened up its 2023 campaign on Friday with a pair of victories as part of the Ferris State Invitational.  The Warriors took care of Malone in straight sets before dispatching new Division II member Thomas More in four.

FROM COACH KOTH
"There were some moments from today's competitions that looked very good, but then some that didn't, which is very typical of a season=opening day.  Hopefully we will learn and grow from these experiences.  Getting better each time out, that's the goal."

MATCH ONE vs. MALONE (W, 3-0)
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Warriors opened the match with 10 of the first 13 points scored, including nine straight to finish that run.
- The Pioneers then clawed back to pull within two, 15-13, to force a timeout by coach Koth.
- After that, MU could never get closer than two (17-15, 18-16) as WSU held on for the 25-20 win in set one.
- In the second period, Wayne State rattled off 10 of the initial 15 points and 16 of the first 23.
- The Warriors led by as many as 11 (21-10, 22-11, 23-12, 24-13) before the final margin of nine, 25-16.
- It was the same narrative in the third set as the Green & Gold were looking at an advantage of 10-5.
- After that, MU would get as close as two on three different occasions (10-8, 16-14, 17-15).
- WSU weathered the storm, though, pushed its lead to seven (22-15, 23-16) and won by four, 25-21, to claim the match.

LEADING THE WARRIORS
- Molly Miller (Oxford, Mich.) notched a double-double in her Wayne State debut with 13 kills and 10 digs.
- Also reaching the double-figure department for kills was Ella Uganski (Jenison, Mich.) with a career-high 11.
- Freshman Katie Smith (Macomb, Mich. / Utica Eisenhower) notched an efficient eight kills on a .350 hitting percentage.
- Aiding the attack, Kayla Dulgar (Warsaw, Ohio / River View) racked up 36 assists in her first collegiate match.
- Carly Rodman (Rochester Hills, Mich. / Rochester) was the lone Warrior with multiple service aces with two.
- Defensively, WSU was paced by Kendyl Andrews' (Flushing, Mich.) 18 digs and a trio of players with three block assists.

ONE BIG THING
- Wayne State hit .260 (43 kills, 16 errors, 104 total attacks) to just -.010 by Malone (23 kills, 24 errors, 103 total attacks).

MATCH TWO vs. THOMAS MORE (W, 3-1)
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Aside from Wayne State leading 5-2, neither team scored more than two points in a row until Thomas More did so with three straight to pull within two, 13-11.
- The Warriors came right back with three-consecutive points of their own before the Saints rattled off four straight to make it a one-score game, 16-15.
- TMU would get as close as one four more times (17-16, 19-18, 20-19, 23-22) before making a pair of errors that allowed WSU to win the set, 25-22.
- Thomas More scored three of the final four points of the second set to win it, 25-23, and make it a 1-1 match.
- Despite a pair of ties in the first eight points of set three (3-3, 4-4), Wayne State took control to the tune of 15-9.
- After that, TMU was never closer than five and WSU's lead grew to as big as 11, 25-14.
- The fourth set started with a trio of deadlocks at 2-2, 3-3 and 4-4.
- Then. Wayne State used a mini 5-1 spurt to make it a four-point game, 9-5.
- Thomas More cut the deficit to one six different times before eventually tying things up at 19-19.
- The Saints' first advantage of the set came at 21-20 before the Warriors closed it out with five of the final seven points.

LEADING THE WARRIORS
- Three different Warriors tallied a double-double, including Dulgar (36 assists, 26 digs), Smith (16 kills, 13 digs) and Miller (11 kills, 13 digs).
- Smith hit .300 (16 kills, 4 errors, 40 swings) while Kayla Giroux (Flat Rock, Mich.) finished with a clip of .500 (11 kills, 1 error, 20 swings).
- Also pacing the team, Andrews sent home a pair of aces with 20 digs and Giroux totaled four blocks.

ONE BIG THING
- Wayne State outblocked Thomas More 10-3, including 18-4 in just block assists.

UP NEXT
Wayne State will stay in Big Rapids to face Indianapolis (9 a.m.) and No. 8 Minnesota Duluth (3:30 p.m.) on Saturday.