ASHLAND, Ohio -- The sixth-seeded Wayne State University volleyball program (19-11) traveled to third-seed Ashland (22-9) on Wednesday night to play in its first GLIAC Tournament since 2012.  In a rematch of the regular-season finale, WSU dropped the five-setter 3-2.
 
The teams split the two regular season meetings with both sides winning its home contest.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Ashland led the opening set 5-1 after a 4-0 run.  An Avery Punches (Rockford, Mich.) kill kept WSU close at 11-7.  The home lead grew to 13-7, which forced a timeout from third-year head coach Tim Koth.  The Eagles continued to control the first game and led 17-7 to cap a 6-0 rally.  The surging Ashland side won took a 1-0 match lead with a 25-11.
 
- The Warriors led the second set 3-0 after a Michelle Asiedu (Holland, Ohio / Springfield) kill.  However, AU regained momentum and led 7-5 following a WSU attacking error.  Another Asiedu point tied the game at 10-10.  Hailey Richardson (New Boston, Mich. / Huron) have WSU an 11-10 advantage.  The Eagles led 20-17 and would eventually win 25-19.
 
- WSU opened the third set leading 3-0 after a kill from Punches.  Mikayla Shell (Croswell, Mich. / Croswell-Lexington) extended the Warriors' lead to 7-4 with a kill and the lead reached 9-4 after a kill from Richardson and an ace from Haley Tenelshof (Grand Rapids, Mich. / Jenison).  Consecutive AU blocking errors gave WSU a 13-8 lead.  The Eagles went on a 5-1 run to trim the deficit to 14-13.  Wayne State added to its lead powered by strong serving and led 20-14, which forced AU to take its final timeout of the game.  With WSU leading 23-17, an Asiedu kill put WSU a point away from winning.  Richardson sealed the 25-19 win with a kill.
 
- Emily Norscia (Livonia, Mich. / Livonia Churchill) broke a 2-2 tie with a kill early in the fourth set.  WSU held onto its one-point lead, 7-6, after a kill from Asiedu.  Punches gave WSU a three-point advantage, 11-8, with a kill and forced AU to take a timeout as the momentum was firmly with WSU.  Guldan put WSU up 13-11 with a dump kill and an AU attacking error stretched the lead to 14-11.  Back-to-back blocks from Asiedu and Guldan gave the Warriors a 17-13 advantage.  The confident WSU squad extended its lead to 20-14 and capped a 6-1 run with a point from Asiedu.  WSU would force a fifth set with a 25-18 victory.
 
- The Warriors led the final set 4-2 and 5-3.  The Eagles tied the game at 5-5 and took a 6-5 lead following a Wayne State error.  Ashland had its biggest lead of the set at 10-7, which led to a WSU timeout.  WSU trimmed the deficit to two at 13-11 but AU won the final two points to take the set 15-11 and the match 3-2.
 
UP NEXT
- The Warriors will need to wait until Monday night's NCAA selection show to see if they did enough to be one of the eight regional teams to earn a NCAA Tournament selection.  In the last regional poll, released on Wednesday, WSU was tabbed as the seventh best team in the Midwest region.  If selected, it would be the third-ever trip to the NCAA postseason in program history and first since 1994.