Box Score

ABERDEEN, S.D. - For the second match in a row, the Northern State volleyball squad rallied from a two-set deficit, but this time could not complete the comeback, falling to the 18th-ranked Wayne State Wildcats in four sets (21-25, 18-25, 25-23, 20-25) Friday evening in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference volleyball action.

The loss snapped a six-match win streak for the Wolves, who began a four-match homestand.  NSU slipped to 12-9 overall and 7-6 in NSIC play.  The WIldcats moved to 17-6 on the season and 9-4 in the loop.

NSU fell victim to big mid-set runs by the Wildcats in sets one and two.  WSC used an 11-1 run in the opener to rally a 14-12 deficit into a 22-15 advantage, forcing the Wolves to burn both time-outs.  NSU countered with a 5-1 run to close within three at 20-23, but it was too little, too late as the Wildcats closed out the set at 25-21.

WSC controled the second set nearly from the start and took a 25-18 win to go into the break leading two sets to none, but it was a scene the Wolves had faced before.  NSU rallied from a 2-0 deficit last Tuesday to take a five-set win over MSU Moorhead on the road and used the backs-to-the-wall experience to rally in set three.

NSU senior Chelsea Chavez and sophomore outside hitter Macey Finizio put down four kills apiece in the third, while freshman middle blocker Cari McGarvie had two kills and two blocks in the run.  The Wolves, down 19-22 late in the set, closed off the win with a 6-1 run, which included all four Finizio kills.  Chavez and freshman setter Drew Smith finished off the stanza with NSU's third block of the night.

The Wolves could not hold on to the momentum, however, as the Wildcats held off a late NSU rally in the fourth to finish off a 25-20 win and the overall match victory.

Senior outside hitter Kaleinani Kabalis led all NSU players with a 13-kill, 24-dig effort.  McGarvie added a highly efficient 10 kills, while Chavez and Finizio finished with nine apiece.

The Wolves continue the homestand tomorrow night, hosting Augustana in a 6:30 p.m. match-up.  The Vikings, who were receiving votes in the latest edition of the AVCA Top 25 poll, took a 3-2 win over MSU Moorhead on Friday.