WINONA, Minn. – The Northern State University Wolves, coming off a heated five-set loss to Upper Iowa University one day prior, claimed an opening 25-22 first-set win over Winona State University on Saturday before running out of steam and dropping the final three sets of the match, 17-25, 17-25, 23-25.

The 3-1 loss, the fourth straight for the Wolves, drops NSU to an even 8-8 on the season and 0-7 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play.  The Warriors moved to 8-7 overall and 3-4 in league action.

NSU senior Jordan Schaffer had 14 kills and 15 digs to lead the Wolves in both categories.  Senior Kayla Ysteboe and junior Konefesi Vaisigano added an even dozen kills apiece, while Megan Gilbraith finished 14 digs and 44 assists.

The Warriors had four players in double kill figures, led by Kathy Lohff's 15.  Libero Shannon McGowan registered 32 kills, while setter Kayla Uhlenhake notched 48 assists on the night.

After dropping sets two and three, the Wolves had a chance to claim the fourth set and send the match into the fifth set tiebreaker.  NSU rallied from a 19-17 deficit to take a 22-19 lead.  The Wolves got kills from Gilbraith, Ysteboe and senior Whitney Morsching in that stretch with a pair of Warrior errors interspersed. 

The Wolves then went up 23-20 two plays later on another Ysteboe kill before the Warriors put the skid brakes on and rallied for the win.  WSU's Bekah Saugen put down three of her ten kills on the night in that rally, including the game-winner, while Maggie Finkel served up a pair of service aces.

The Wolves remain on the road next weekend for another pair of NSIC match-ups.  NSU takes on Minnesota Crookston and MSU Moorhead on Friday and Saturday, respectively.