MANKATO, Minn. – The Minnesota State volleyball team (10-1, 2-1 NSIC) defeated the Winona State Warriors (8-7, 1-3 NSIC) in a 3-0 sweep Saturday afternoon. This win ended a five-game losing streak against the Warriors for the Mavericks. The team finished with 43 kills and 10 blocks in the win. Junior middle blocker Emily Kern had an excellent match, finishing with eight kills and five blocks.
 
The two teams traded scores to begin the game, but back-to-back kills from Kern and freshman Avery Klein put the Mavericks up 6-4. Winona State's Kenna Kornely had a pair of kills and the Warriors had an ace to tie the score at 8-8. Kern and Toryn Richards combined for a block cap off a 4-1 run to put MSU up 13-10.
 
After both teams scored back-and-forth, Minnesota State jumped out on a 5-0 run to put the Mavericks up 20-13. Senior middle blocker Kiya Durant had a kill and a block assist with Avery Rosenberg to start the run. Outside hitter Emma Loveall had a kill and a huge block solo to continue the run and Richards served an ace to put the Mavericks up seven. Following an error and a pair of kills for the Warriors, Minnesota State closed the set out on a 5-2 run to take set one, 25-18. The Mavericks held the Warriors to just a .050 hitting percentage in the opening set.
 
Klein and Richards started the second set with a pair of kills. Gianna Vollrath had a kill for the Warriors, but another Richards kill gave possession back to the Mavericks. Freshman setter Jadyn Lester had two consecutive aces, Richards had another kill, Durant and Rosenberg had a monster block and Winona State had an attack error to complete a 6-0 run to give the Mavericks an early 8-1 lead in set two.
 
The Warriors and Mavericks had some volley scoring before the Mavericks went on another huge run, this time 6-1. Kern had two block assists during the stretch, Klein and Loveall each had a kill and a block assist in the run as well. The score was 16-6 in favor of the home team.
 
Winona State responded in a big way, bringing the score back to two on an 8-0 run thanks to five Maverick errors. The score rested at 16-14.
 
The rest of the set was back-and-forth. The Warriors tied the set at 20-20, but two errors from the visiting team put Minnesota State up 22-20. After a service error from the Mavericks, Kern responded with a massive solo block to swing momentum back in MSU's favor. Klein connected with Brooke Bolwerk on a kill and combined for a block assist with Durant to end the tightly contested second set, 25-23. The Mavericks had five blocks in set two, dominating up front.
 
The Mavericks again jumped out to a sizeable lead early in set three; Kern had two kills and a block assist, Loveall had two kills and Klein had a kill and a block assist to put Minnesota State up 7-0. The Warriors cut the Maverick lead to three after a solo block from Kornely. MSU responded with a 6-2 run, with kills from Richards and Durant, while taking advantage of some attack errors from WSU. The score was 15-8.
 
Following some back-and-forth scoring, the Mavericks went on a quick 5-0 run to put the team up 22-11. Madisen Miller had two aces and Richards had a huge kill and a booming solo block that took the wind out of the Warriors' sail.
 
The Warrior bench called a timeout and went on a 7-3 run, but it was too little, too late. The Mavericks took set three, clinching the victory in a sweep, on a kill from Richards. The score of the final set with 25-18.
 
Minnesota State out-hit the Warriors 43 kills to 28. The team also had double the blocks as Winona State, as the Mavericks finished with 10.
 
Loveall was the kills leader for the Mavericks against the Warriors. She finished with 10 kills (.385 %) and two blocks, one solo and one assist. Richards, Kern and Klein each had eight kills. Richards also had one ace, two blocks and 11 digs in the match. Kern hit .313 against WSU and had five blocks. Klein ended with three blocks. Durant also had three blocks, one ace and five kills.
 
For the second-straight match, Miller led the Mavericks in digs with 15; she saved several plays that would have otherwise been points with her relentless effort. She also had a kill and two aces. Senior libero Ellie Kline had 11 digs in the match. Bolwerk ended with 23 assists and Lester had 13, along with her two service aces.
 
After this successful homestand, the Mavericks are on the road for the next three matches. Minnesota State will travel to Aberdeen to take on No. 22 Northern State (10-2, 2-2 NSIC) on Friday, October 4 at 6 p.m. The following day, the team takes on MSU Moorhead (5-6, 0-3 NSIC) at 2 p.m. After that match against the Dragons, the Mavericks will take on the No. 15 Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs (8-2, 1-2 NSIC) on Tuesday, October 8 at 6 p.m. at Romano Gymnasium.