Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 MSUM-Rollins Stats
MSUM-California Stats

WINTER PARK, Fla. – For the second straight day, the Minnesota State University Moorhead volleyball team defeated a team ranked in the top 25, as the Dragons downed No. 22 Rollins, 22-25, 25-19, 25-18, 28-26 in the final match of the Rollins Invitational Saturday night in Winter Park, Fla.

The win helped the Dragons (3-1) earn a split on the day as they fell to California, 25-23, 27-25, 25-20 to open the day.

The win over Rollins was keyed by balanced hitting – five Dragons had nine kills or more – and an efficient attack which saw MSUM hit .298 for the match.

“Annie Palmquist did a great job, hitting .667,” MSUM head coach Tammy Blake said. “It was a nice win against a ranked team. Our .298 hitting percentage helped with the win.”

Sophomores Sam Sullivan and Annie Palmquist each had 12 kills to lead the MSUM hitters. Senior Heidi Lensing had 11 kills, while freshman Kaitlin VanWinkle had 10 and sophomore Maggie Gruber nine. Senior Anna Olson had 30 set assists, while Sullivan had 25. Senior Katy Ness had 25 digs while freshman Amber Krenske had 14.

After losing the first set 25-22, the Dragons came back strong in the second set. With the set tied at 13-13, MSUM went on a 9-3 run to take a 22-16 lead. VanWinkle had two kills and a service ace during that run, while Lensing had a kill. Wolpern and VanWinkle also teamed up for a block. That run propelled the Dragons to a 25-19 win.

In the third set, MSUM led 11-9 but scored six of the next seven points to stretch the advantage to 17-10.  Sullivan had two kills, while Gruber and VanWinkle each added kills. Rollins closed within 20-16, but MSUM weathered the storm and ended the set on a 5-2 run to earn a 25-18 victory.

In the final set, MSUM faced a 22-19 deficit in the final set but stormed back with the next four points – which included two kills by Gruber and a service ace by Olson – to take a 23-22 lead. Rollins scored three of the next four points to take a 25-24 lead, but the Dragons came back strong down the stretch. With the set tied at 26-26, VanWinkle and Wolpern put down back-to-back kills to finish off a 28-26 win.

Earlier in the day, the Dragons fell to California (Pa.) in a hard-fought contest, 25-23, 27-25, 25-20. Lensing led the Dragon hitting attack with 11 kills, while Wolpern had eight and VanWinkle seven. Sullivan had 22 set assists while Ness had 26 digs.

VanWinkle had four block assists while Wolpern and Egeland had two each.

All three sets were competitive, as there were 23 ties and 13 lead changes.

In the first set, the Dragons got off to a strong start, taking a 15-10 lead. However, California went on a 10-3 run to take a 20-18 lead, and went on to take a 25-23 win.

In the second set, the Dragons held a 23-19 lead after a kill from Egeland. MSUM held a 25-24 lead but California scored the final three points in the set to earn a 27-25 win.

In the final set, California started strong and took a 16-8 lead. The Dragons fought back within 20-17 after a Lensing kill but never got closer and fell 25-20.

Olson added 11 set assists and six digs.

MSUM is in action Tuesday at Florida Southern. The match begins at 6 p.m. Central time in Lakeland, Fla.