By: Tom Berg, MSUM Media Relations
MOORHEAD, Minn. – Senior Katy Ness had 30 digs and senior setter Anna Olson had 31 set assists to help the Minnesota State University Moorhead volleyball team defeat No. 22-ranked Eckerd, 25-22, 17-25, 25-20, 21-25, 15-9 in a nonconference thriller Thursday night in Lakeland, Fla. The Dragons improved to 5-1 with the win, while Eckerd fell to 3-2.
Ness also had a service ace, while Olson had seven digs for MSUM, which has three wins over teams ranked in the AVCA Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll.
A balanced hitting attack, which saw the Dragons hit .252, once again proved crucial for MSUM. Five Dragon players had nine kills or more, led by sophomore Annie Palmquist with 15 kills. Senior Heidi Lensing and sophomore Maggie Gruber each had 11 kills, while freshman Abby Wolpern had 10 and freshman Kaitlin VanWinkle added nine. Freshman Cassie Baer had 27 set assists.
With the match tied at two sets apiece, the Dragons seized control in the pivotal final set. They opened by scoring four of the five points – which included a service ace from VanWinkle and a kill from Wolpern – in establishing a 4-1 lead. MSUM led as many as five before Eckerd climbed within 12-9, forcing a Dragon timeout.
Wolpern delivered big down the stretch. She had a kill, a solo block and teamed up with Gruber on a block for the final three points of the set, giving the Dragons a 15-9 win in the decisive final frame.
“I thought it was a hard-fought match,” MSUM head coach Tammy Blake said. “Abby Wolpern had three huge points at the end of the fifth set – a kill and two blocks – to help us win the match.”
Tied 2-2 in the first set, MSUM rattled off four straight points – which included kills from freshman Amber Krenske and Gruber and a block from Wolpern – to take a 6-2 lead. MSUM maintained the lead much of the rest of the set, although Eckerd cut the gap to 23-22 late. However, back-to-back kills from Lensing and Gruber helped the Dragons clinch a 25-22 win.
Eckerd got off to a strong start in the second set, taking an 11-4 lead, and went on to take a 25-17 win to even the match at a set apiece.
The Dragons came back strong in the third set. They trailed 7-5 but scored five straight points – keyed by a two kills from VanWinkle and a block and a kill from sophomore Sam Sullivan – to take a 10-7 lead. The set stayed close and was tied at 15-15 before the Dragons scored the next five points – which included kills by Gruber, VanWinkle, Sullivan and Lensing – to take a 20-16 lead. MSUM never led by less than three the rest of the way in posting a 25-20 win.
Eckerd won the fourth set 25-21 to tie the match and set up the decisive fifth set, where the Dragons prevailed.
Wolpern had an excellent night at the net with four solo blocks and three assists. Sullivan also had three solo blocks and two assists, while Gruber had three assisted blocks.
MSUM begins play at the Eckerd College Classic on Friday. The Dragons will face Rollins at 2:30 p.m. Central time and Northwood at 4:30 p.m. Central time. Live Stats and Live Video can be accessed at the links below.
Live Stats (Eckerd College Classic)
Live Video (Eckerd College Classic)