Box Score
ST. CLOUD, Minn. – Sophomore
Kaitlin VanWinkle had 16 kills to help the Minnesota State University Moorhead volleyball team to a 26-24, 16-25, 25-17, 28-26 win over St. Cloud State in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action Saturday in St. Cloud, Minn.
MSUM improved to 12-7 overall and 5-6 in the NSIC with the win, while St. Cloud State fell to 12-7 overall and 6-5 in the NSIC.
VanWinkle also added two solo blocks and four assists for MSUM.
Junior
Maggie Gruber and sophomore
Morgan Gradishar had 11 kills each for MSUM. Sophomore setter
Casie Baer had 27 assists while junior setter
Sam Sullivan had 19. Sophomore libero
Amber Krenske had 28 digs while Gradishar had 19. Gruber and sophomore
Abby Wolpern had four block assists each for MSUM.
The Dragons hit .173 for the match, compared to .149 for St. Cloud State.
"We did a great job stopping their middle attackers in the third and fourth sets," MSUM head coach
Tammy Blake said. "
Kristy Bruni came in off the bench in the fourth set and sparked us to the victory."
MSUM faced trouble in the first set and trailed 24-23. However, a Husky attack error tied the set at 24-24, and an ace from freshman
Katie Meyers gave the Dragons a one-point lead. VanWinkle finished the set for the Dragons with a kill to give them a crucial 26-24 win.
St. Cloud State rolled to a 25-16 win in the second set, but MSUM regrouped in the third set. After trailing 7-6, the Dragons scored five points in a row – with four points coming on SCSU errors – to take an 11-7 lead.
The Huskies climbed within 16-13, but got no closer as the Dragons outscored them 9-4 the rest of the way on their way to a 25-17 win.
The fourth set featured 16 ties and nine lead changes. MSUM led 24-20 before the Huskies came back with four straight points to tie the set at 24-24. Moments later, St. Cloud State had a set piont, but a kill from redshirt freshman
Kristy Bruni tied the set at 26-26. A SCSU error, followed by a kill from Wolpern, gave MSUM a 28-26 win.
Meyers added two service aces and 12 digs for MSUM. Freshman
Brianna Atkins added seven kills and nine digs.
MSUM plays at Northern State on Tuesday for a 7 p.m. match.
