DETROIT -- It looked as though the five-match winning streak that the Wayne State University volleyball program (9-1, 2-0 GLIAC) had entering Saturday's match with Ashland (6-5, 0-2 GLIAC) was going to be a memory when the Eagles went ahead 2-0 but the Warriors had other ideas.  WSU stormed back to win its sixth straight match and improve to 2-0 in the league after the five-set thriller.

HOW IT HAPPENED
• The Eagles led 5-1 to begin the first set.  A 5-0 run capped by a block from Madelyn Krenz (Chenoa, Ill. / Prairie Central) and Michelle Asiedu (Holland, Ohio / Springfield) gave the Warriors their first lead of the day at 10-8.  However, Ashland regained the lead at 20-18 before WSU answered with another run to take a 21-20 lead after a kill from Mikayla Shell (Croswell, Mich. / Croswell-Lexington).  The visitors won the next three points before winning the game 25-23.

• Hannah Moore (Louisville, Ky. / Assumption) put WSU on top 5-4 in the second set after a kill.  The All-GLIAC performer from a year ago kept WSU ahead 10-8 with another kill.  AU used a 4-0 run to take a 14-12 lead and eventually would hold onto a slim one-point advantage, 17-16.  An ace from Hailey Richardson (New Boston, Mich. / Huron) made WSU the first team to 20, leading 20-19.  However, the Eagles took four of the final five points to win 25-23.

• The comeback began in the third set as a kill from Shell put the home squad ahead 5-3.  That kill began a 4-0 run, which propelled WSU to an 8-3 lead.  Following a 6-0 run by Ashland, the Eagles led 9-8.  The momentum swung to the visiting bench forcing head coach Tim Koth to take a timeout with AU leading 16-11.  The break worked and the Warriors went on a 7-1 run to regain the lead, 18-17.  WSU led 23-20 before Ashland used a 4-0 run to take a one-point lead.  Facing match point, Shell delivered a clutch kill and WSU won the final two points to avoid a sweep, 27-25.

• The Green & Gold started fast in the fourth set and led 11-5 after a kill from Richardson.  An AU attack error gave WSU a 16-9 lead.  After a poor set by Ashland, WSU was a point away from the all-important 25th point before AU rallied off three straight to make things interesting.  Wayne State was able to collect the final point on a kill from Brittany Guldan (West Bloomfield, Mich. / Walled Lake Central).

• The fifth set was tied at 6-6 and WSU took a 7-6 lead on a kill from Asiedu.  Following an ace from Richardson, the Warriors held firmly to their one-point advantage.  The deficit grew to three (12-9) and (14-11).  Ashland took two consecutive points to pull within one, 14-13 before Richardson the match with a kill.

FROM COACH KOTH
"Today was a great win over another quality opponent.  We didn't execute the way we would have liked to but our heart and desire really showed when our back was against  the wall."

UP NEXT
• WSU will stay at home and meet Saginaw Valley State on Friday night at 7 p.m.