Box Score
MOORHEAD, Minn. -- Junior Sam Sullivan had 26 set assists, but the Minnesota State University Moorhead volleyball team came up short against No. 10-ranked Wayne State on Friday, losing to the Wildcats, 25-18, 25-21, 25-20 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action at Alex Nemzek Hall in Moorhead, Minn.

The Dragons fell to 10-4 overall and 3-3 in the NSIC with the loss, while Wayne State improved to 12-2 overall and 4-2 in the league.

With fellow setter Casie Baer out with an injury, Sullivan handled the setting duties on a solo basis on Friday and added two kills and eight digs.  Three Dragons finished with seven kills each: junior Maggie Gruber and sophomores Morgan Gradishar and Kaitlin VanWinkle. Junior Annie Palmquist and sophomore Abby Wolpern had five kills each for MSUM.  Sophomore Amber Krenske had 12 digs for the Dragons while Gradishar had 11 and freshman Katie Meyers 10.

MSUM hit .143 for the match, compared to .217 for the Wildcats.

Wayne State jumped out to a 10-4 lead in the first set, forcing the Dragons to play catchup the rest of the way.  MSUM was down 13-7 but scored six of the next seven points to close within 14-13. Gruber served three straight points for MSUM while Wolpern and VanWinkle each had a kill and a block assist.

Leading 15-14, the Wildcats scored four points in a row to make it 19-14 and the Dragons got no closer than four points the rest of the set in falling 25-18.

The second set was similar as Wayne State built a 10-5 lead before MSUM battled back to within 14-12 with a 7-4 run. Gradishar, Gruber and Palmquist all had kills during that stretch for MSUM. Once again, the Wildcats pulled away and built a 19-14 lead and went on to take a 25-21 win.

The Dragons faced an 8-7 deficit in the third set but stormed back with five consecutive points, keyed by a serving run from Krenske (including an ace) and kills from VanWinkle, Gradishar and Gruber. That run gave MSUM a 12-8 advantage.

MSUM held a 20-19 lead after a Gradishar kill but Wayne State scored the final six points of the set to earn a 25-20 win and complete the sweep.

Wolpern had eight digs and two block assists as well for MSUM, while Gruber had two block assists.

The Dragons resume action Saturday at home against Augustana. The match begins at 4 p.m.