ST. LOUIS -- The historic 2025 season came to a close for the Wayne State University volleyball team (24-6 overall) on Thursday night inside the Mark Twain Building. Playing in the NCAA Tournament's Midwest Regional quarterfinals, the fourth-seeded Warriors were knocked off by fifth-seeded Findlay (24-5 overall), three sets to two.
"What an unbelievable match," said head coach
Tim Koth. "Every set was decided by two points and it went back and forth. It's really difficult to lose a match like that, but on the same token, we walk away proud with what we did and what we accomplished. I'm very proud of my team and despite the loss, we're walking out of here feeling positive about the performance and our season."
Findlay 3, Wayne State 2
HOW IT HAPPENED (-23, 23-25, -22, 23-25, 13-15)
- Wayne State hit .241 for the match with 65 kills and 20 errors on 187 total attacks.
- WSU lost for just the second time this season (16-2) when it hits at least .240 in the match.
- Findlay countered with a .189 clip including 71 kills and 32 miscues on 206 attempts (most by WSU opponent in over six years).
- The Warriors' most efficient set was the third at .333 (17, 4, 39).
- The Oilers' highest percentage in a single period was the second at .308 (15, 3, 39).
- Playing in her 116th career match, Kayla Giroux (Flat Rock, Mich.) recorded a personal best for kills with 26.
- The senior committed only four errors on 54 total attacks for a .407 hitting percentage.
- Other Warriors with double-digit kills included Paige Giehtbrock (Clarkston, Mich. [Rider]) with 15 (.140) and Leigha Baldwin (Perrysburg, Ohio [Purdue Fort Wayne]) with 12 (.462).
- That outing for Baldwin marked her fourth in the last six with double-figure kills and at least a .450 hitting percentage.
- Kayla Dulgar (Warsaw, Ohio / River View) churned out 56 assists, six off her career high and sixth effort with at least 50 this season.
- Behind the service line, Dulgar, Giroux and Abby Macalaguim (Chula Vista, Calif. / Eastlake [Saint Anselm]) each had one ace.
- Defensively, Wayne State racked up a season-best 16 total blocks, two solo and 28 assisted.
- Those 16 total stops are the program's most in over six years.
- Individually, those with multiple stuffs included Katerina Stout (Macomb, Mich. / Dakota) with eight (one solo), Giehtbrock with seven (one solo), Giroux with seven (all assisted) and Baldwin with six (all assisted).
- In the dig department, the ringleaders were Kendyl Andrews (Flushing, Mich.) with 22, Lauren Essenpreis (Amherstburg, Ont. / North Star S.S.) with 18, Macalaguim with 18, Giehtbrock with 14 and Dulgar with 10.
- For Dulgar, that marked her 11th double-double of the season and 31st of her career.
- Giehtbrock also notched a double-double, her eighth double-double of the fall and 18th of her career.
LEADING THE WARRIORS
