DETROIT -- Looking to rebound after a sweep on Friday night, the Wayne State University volleyball program (17-5, 8-3 GLIAC) had its work cut out for them as #21 Ferris State (18-5, 9-1 GLIAC) visited the Matthaei. The Warriors could not hold onto a 2-1 match lead as the Bulldogs would comeback and win the five-setter 3-2.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- WSU started quickly and led 8-1 early in the opening set, powered by three kills and a block from
Avery Punches (Rockford, Mich.). However, FSU would control the rest of the set and take a 14-13 advantage after a WSU attack error. The Green & Gold were able to tie the game at 17-17 but the visitors won eight of the final nine points to win 25-18.
- Once again, WSU jumped out to an early lead, leading the second set 7-2 and a service ace from
Haley Tenelshof (Grand Rapids, Mich. / Jenison) extended the home lead to 10-4. A 3-0 run by FSU pulled the Bulldogs within a point before WSU rattled off five consecutive points to take a 21-15 lead.
Emily Norscia (Livonia, Mich. / Livonia Churchill) capped off the 25-20 victory with a kill.
- The Warriors won the first five points of the third set but trailed 11-8 after WSU burned its second timeout of the set. Ferris State led 23-18 and 24-19 before the resilient WSU squad found its groove. Wayne State won five straight points to tie the set at 24-24 before the teams traded punches until a kill by Norscia gave WSU an opportunity to win the set. With the score set at 29-28, Punches drilled a pass from
Brittany Guldan (West Bloomfield, Mich. / Walled Lake Central) to put the Warriors up 2-1 in the match.
- FSU led the fourth set 13-8 but WSU trimmed the deficit to two at 14-12 on a kill from Punches. That would be as close as the Warriors would come as the Bulldogs forced a fifth set with 25-18 victory.
- Wayne State sprinted out to a 7-4 lead in the race-to-15. A 5-0 run by Ferris State put the visitors on top 10-9 and forced WSU to use both of its timeouts. The Warriors trailed by one on two occasion down the stretch but were unable to tie the set and break serve. DSU went on to win the deciding set 15-13.
UP NEXT
- WSU will embark on a four-match road trip beginning with Ohio Dominican on Friday at 7 p.m.