DETROIT -- The last three seasons in which the Wayne State University volleyball team qualified for the postseason (2021, 2022 and 2024), its season was ended by Michigan Tech. Wednesday night inside the Matthaei for the GLIAC Tournament quarterfinals, the second-seeded Warriors (22-5 overall) expelled the seventh-seeded Huskies (12-16 overall) in straight sets and moved on to the semifinals.
"Tonight was a great win in a great atmosphere in the Matthaei," said head coach
Tim Koth. "We had to go with a different lineup and we had some players really step up their game, but that has been us all season, one through eighteen, all together. We're looking forward to the weekend in Big Rapids."
Playing in their 18th GLIAC Tournament in program history, the Warriors advanced to the semifinals for the seventh time and first instance since 2021. Saturday, WSU will look to make an appearance in the finals for the first time ever. Back to this fall, Wayne State also won its sixth consecutive match, which ties the season long set on Oct. 2-17.
Wayne State 3, Michigan Tech 0
HOW IT HAPPENED (-21, -24, -19)
- Wayne State hit .264 for the match with 44 kills and 16 errors on 106 total attacks.
- Michigan Tech countered with a .169 output, including 41 kills and 21 miscues on 118 attempts.
- The Warriors' most efficient set was the third at .379 (14, 3, 29) while the Huskies was the second at .214 (16, 7, 42).
- In the team head-to-head, WSU had the upper hand in points (62-46), kills (44-41), aces (7-1), blocks (11-4), assists (42-37) and digs (47-40).
- Leigha Baldwin asserted herself on the right side with a team-best 12 kills and only three errors on 17 total attacks for a .529 hitting percentage.
- Kayla Giroux was workmanlike with 10 kills and just one miscue on 23 attempts for a .391 clip.
- Making just the second start of her career, Kyleigh Weck sent home six kills with no errors on 12 swings for a .500 yield.
- Running the show, Kayla Dulgar dished out 20 assists and Abby Macalaguim added 14.
- Behind the service line, Lauren Essenpreis tied her season high in aces with three, set twice before (Nov. 13 vs. Grand Valley State, Sept. 5 vs. Northwood).
- Giroux, Paige Giehtbrock, Kendyl Andrews and Dulgar each notched an ace as well.
- Defensively, starting with digs, Essenpreis was the ringleader with 15 to her name.
- Above the net, Katerina Stout was the main difference maker with seven total blocks (one solo, six assisted).
- Also getting in on the action were Essenpreis (four blocks), Giroux (four), Baldwin (three), Weck (two) and Giehtbrock (one), all of which were assisted.
LEADING THE WARRIORS
UP NEXT
Wayne State will face sixth-seeded Parkside (19-8 overall) on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. in Big Rapids. The Warriors and Rangers met once in the regular season, Oct. 10 inside Matthaei with WSU prevailing in five sets. The winner will see either 18th-ranked and top-seeded Ferris State or fourth-seeded Grand Valley State on Sunday at 4 p.m. for an automatic trip to the NCAA Tournament.
