The Wildcat volleyball team improved its overall record to 12-6 after going 2-0 this weekend while battling NSIC conference opponents Minot State University and Northern State University in North Dakota. Wayne State is now 6-3 in NSIC conference play.

Wayne State opened up the weekend of NSIC conference matches by sweeping the University of Mary Friday evening 3-0. WSC forced 24 attack errors with help from senior Erin Gross with 10 kills. Katie
Stephens and Gross paced the ’Cats in the first set with four kills each.

The second set featured three lead changes and seven ties. With a score of 17-17, Wayne State scored three straight points to steal the lead, with help from Stephens who contributed back-to-back kills, and kills from Tarrin Beller helped to win the set 25-19.

“Our saying this year is, ‘it’s not about how much time you put in, it is about what you put into that time,” sophomore Beller said. “I
feel like we all come to practice with that kind of mindset.”

WSC went on to take the third set 25-17 winning the match 3-0. The
Wildcats forced 11 attack errors in the third set. Alyssa Ballenger led WSC with four kills in the set.

Wayne State finished the match with a .235 attack percentage, with
32 kills on 85 attacks and only 12 errors. Stephens, Jaci Brahmer and
Beller each recorded five blocks in the win. Freshmen Maddie Duffy
and Megan Gebhardt each had two service aces while Gebhardt contributed 30 set assists. Haley Kauth and Duffy each had seven digs.

In the second match of the weekend, Wayne State beat Minot State 3-1 Saturday afternoon, with help from Brahmer and Gross, who combined for 35 kills.

The first set featured two lead changes and nine ties before the
Wildcats pulled away from a 25-18 win. The ’Cats lost the second set
25-23. The Wildcats then bounced back in third set, winning 25-23
with help from redshirt freshman Brahmer, adding seven kills in the
set. In the fourth set, Wayne State forced nine attack errors and held
Minot State to a .000 hitting percentage to easily win the set 25-15
and win the match 3-1.

Gross had a career-high 20 kills with two blocks to lead Wayne State. Freshman Ballenger produced nine kills in the match while sophomores Beller and Stephens contributed seven kills each.

“We physically and mentally put hard work into the time we have to
practice,” Brahmer said. “We plan to keep getting better by learning
from our losses and by continuing to work hard every single day.”

The Wildcats will be back at Rice Auditorium in Wayne this weekend facing NSIC conference opponents Northern State University Friday night at 6 p.m., and MSU Moorhead Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m.