DETROIT -- The Wayne State University volleyball program (4-2 overall) split on Friday, which was day one of the 2019 Warrior Invitational.  WSU won in four sets over Ursuline (0-4 overall) before falling to UMSL (6-0 overall) in four sets to conclude the day.  Wayne State is hosting the Warrior Invitational for the fourth consecutive season.

MATCH ONE vs. URSULINE (W, 3-1 / 22-25, 25-11, 25-21, 25-13)
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Warrior started fast and won the first three points of the opening set.  However, the Arrows led 13-7 and eventually 17-13.  A 4-0 run by WSU pulled the home team within one after a kill from Madelyn Krenz (Chenoa, Ill. / Prairie Central).  That would be as close as the Green & Gold would come as Ursuline won 25-22.

Back-to-back kills from Olivia Fike (North Branch, Mich.) gave the Warriors an 8-5 advantage.  The momentum stayed with WSU and two kills from Taylor Wagner (St. Joseph, Mich. / Lakeshore) plus three straight attacking errors by UC pushed Wayne State's lead to 17-7.  A combo block from Lauren VanderWal (Caledonia, Mich.) and Summer Farris (Farmington Hills, Mich. / North Farmington) made it 20-9 and WSU would win 25-11.

Ursuline led the third set 7-6 but Wayne State would respond and take a 12-9 lead following a UC error.  A kill from Wagner made it 16-12 and the Warriors won the race to 20 on a kill from VanderWal.  Another point by Wagner and a service ace from Kamryn Duffield (Romeo, Mich.) sealed the set victory, 25-21.

The Arrows led the fourth set 6-4 before a 7-0 run by WSU made it 11-6.  A kill from Krenz gave Wayne State a 15-9 advanatage.The Warriors used three kills down the stretch from Wagner to seal the set 25-13 and the match 3-1.

LEADING THE WARRIORS
Wagner posted a career-best 23 kills on 48 swings to finish with a .417 hitting percentage, while also finishing with nine digs.  Duffield tallied with 48 assists and Maddy Benoit (Farmington, Mich. / Mercy) anchored the defense with 15 digs.

MATCH TWO vs. UMSL (L, 1-3 / 25-21, 18-25, 19-25, 20-25)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Consecutive kills from Wagner and a kill by Farris gave WSU a 7-4 lead in the first set.  UMSL trimmed the home lead to 10-9 before the Green & Gold held onto a 15-13 advantage after a point by Wagner.  The teams traded punches but a kill by Fike made it 19-17.  The Tritons tied the set at 21-21 but Wayne State won the final four points to win the set, 25-21.  Benoit ended the set with back-to-back aces.

The second set was tied at 7-7 before the Warriors rattled off five of six points to lead 12-8. UMSL tied the set at 14-14 before Wayne State won the next two points on a kill by VanderWal and a Sam Palazzolo (Shelby Twp., Mich. / Utica Eisenhower) service ace.  Nine straight points gave the Tritons a 23-13 lead and would power UMSL to a 25-18 victory.

A kill by Fike followed by a block by the junior gave the Warriors a 7-4 lead.   UMSL used a 6-0 run to take an 11-8 lead.  WSU would never be closer than one the rest of the set as the Tritons won 25-19, taking the final five points.

UMSL lead the fourth set 4-1 and eventually 10-3.  The visitors lead grew to 15-7 before a 5-0 rally brought WSU within three, 15-12.  A kill by VanderWal and a combo block from Fike and Wagner made it 18-14 in favor of UMSL.  WSU was unable to mount a comeback as the Tritons won 25-20.

LEADING THE WARRIORS
Wagner paced the WSU offense with 15 kills, while Duffield dished out 34 assists.  Palazzolo finished with 12 digs.

THOUGHTS FROM COACH KOTH
"Today was a great learning experience for our young Warriors.   We did some nice things and hopefully gained some experiences that will help us later in the season."

UP NEXT
The Warriors will play twice again on Saturday beginning with Southern Indiana at 1:30 p.m. and closing out the event against Malone at 6:00 p.m.