Box Score

ABERDEEN, S.D. – Northern State University senior Konefesi Vaisigano powered home a match-high 20 kills and added 15 digs to lead the Wolves to a big 3-2 (21-25, 25-15, 25-21, 25-18, 15-11) victory over a streaking Winona State Warrior squad on Saturday afternoon in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference volleyball action.
 
NSU snapped a three-match skid and improved to 7-7 overall and 2-5 in NSIC play with Saturday's victory.  WSU, which had won six straight and was receiving votes in the latest AVCA Top 25 poll, slipped to 11-5 overall and 5-2 in league matches.
 
Despite the overall drama of the match, each individual set did not feature the tight back-and-forth and extra-point play that the Wolves saw in Friday night's five-set loss to Upper Iowa.  WSU junior Kate Horihan knocked out three straight kills to help the Warriors pull away late in the first set, but the Wolves were in complete control of the second set to even the match score and 1-1 heading into the break.
 
Both teams traded mini-runs in the third set before four straight Warrior attacking errors set the Wolves up late.  WSU fought off one set point, but could not escape the second as junior Chelsea Chavez put NSU up 2-1 with her second kill of the day.  Vaisigano came alive in the third set, putting down eight of her 20 kills in that stanza.
 
WSU fended off the Wolves and their 6-1 run midway through the fourth to push the match into the decisive fifth set, but the Wolves would not be denied in their second straight five-set match.  After battling to a 7-7 tie, Vaisigano again gave the Wolves the edge with another kill.  NSU would not relinquish the lead the rest of the way, finishing out the match with kills from Vaisigano and freshman setter Morgan Richardson, who caught the Warriors off guard for the first time in the match.
 
The Wolves took advantage of 31 attacking errors from the Warriors and eight team blocks to hold WSU to just .169 attack percentage, well below their season average.  NSU, meanwhile, posted a .212 effort at the net, including a .280 effort from its front line of Vaisigano, Paula Martins and Amber Bloom, who combined for 40 kills and just 12 misfires.  Richardson finished with 42 assists, and joined Martins at the net for four and five blocks, respectively.
 
WSU put four players in double figures, led by 12 apiece from Kathy Lohff and Rachel Polland.  Horihan added 11 and Bekah Saugen chipped in 10, but the four also combined for 15 errors.  Kayla Uhlenhake served up 46 assists in the effort.
 
NSU remains at home next weekend to face Minnesota Crookston on Friday and MSU Moorhead on Saturday in another weekend of NSIC match-ups.  The Wolves kick off the Gypsy Days celebration with a 7 p.m. match on Friday.  First serve on Saturday is set for 6 p.m.