Postgame Interview with Coach Koth

DETROIT -- A team needing to find its way into the league win column, the Wayne State University volleyball team (3-5, 1-3 GLIAC) hosted an upstart Tiffin (4-2, 2-2 GLIAC) on Saturday afternoon. The Warriors dropped the first set 25-18 but responded by taking sets two (25-21) and three (25-21). However, the Dragons would force a fifth set with a thrilling 26-24 set-four win. WSU won the fifth set 15-11 to take the match 3-2.

Tiffin led 7-2 to begin the first set and 15-9 following a kill from Lu Phillips. A poor WSU set extended the visitors' lead to 18-10. A Grace Frazee (Grand Rapids, Mich. / Grand Rapids Christian) kill cut the deficit to four, 19-15. The Dragons finished the set on a 6-3 run to take the game 25-18.

Tiffin led 10-6 to begin the second set and forced a WSU timeout. The Dragons extended their lead to 14-8 with four consecutive points. The Green & Gold stormed back to tie the set 16-16 on a TU attack error. Tiffin regained the lead at 20-19 but the Warriors answered with four straight points to take a 23-20 lead. The run included kills from Emily Norscia (Livonia, Mich. / Livonia Churchill) and Michelle Asiedu (Holland, Ohio / Springfield). Hannah Moore (Louisville, Ky.) and Asiedu combined for back-to-back kills to end the set in WSU's favor, 25-21.

Coach Koth's squad led 9-5 to begin the third set after a kill from Heather Weiss (Fort Gratiot, Mich. / Port Huron). The Dragons pulled within one point on four occasions but could never tie the game. Tiffin trimmed lead to 20-18 but WSU would hold on for the 25-21 set victory and take a 2-1 match lead.

Facing a 3-1 match defeat, the Dragons started the fourth set leading 10-6. The Warriors looked to regain control after a service ace from Weiss gave WSU an 18-16 lead. Wayne State led 24-22 but TU took the next four points to win the set 26-24 and force a fifth set.

In the race to 15, WSU and Tiffin were tied at 6-6 to start. A 3-0 run capped by a kill from Weiss put the Warriors on top 10-9. Moore delivered the team first GLIAC win with a kill to win the set 15-11.

Moore hit .298 on the afternoon and finished with a team-high 18 kills. Two other Warriors posted double-digit kill performances as Norscia had 17 and Weiss finished with 15. Brittany Guldan (West Bloomfield, Mich. / Walled Lake Central) dished out 51 assists and Carlee Hunt (Waterford, Mich. / Walled Lake Northern) led the defense with 17 digs. As a team WSU hit .268 to Tiffin's .228 hitting percentage.

Wayne State will conclude its five-match homestand on Tuesday night when Saginaw Valley State visits the Matthaei.