MANKATO, Minn. — No. 25-ranked Minnesota State volleyball team (16-2, 8-2 NSIC) swept Winona State (10-8, 5-5 NSIC) in straight sets on Thursday, Oct. 16 at the Taylor Center.
Minnesota State recorded a .311 hitting percentage, led by nine service aces in the match.
Avery Klein was a force at the net tonight, finishing with eight kills and three blocks.
Emily Kern made a major impact with 10 kills, three block assists, and two service aces. On defense,
Ellie Kline led the back row with 19 digs, providing steady coverage throughout the match.
Avery Rosenberg added 11 kills and two blocks, remaining a reliable offensive option, while
Jadyn Lester guided the attack with 37 assists, keeping the Mavericks' offense sharp and well-distributed.
MSU started strong, quickly erasing an early 2–0 deficit with a series of attacks. Mary Satori got the Mavericks going with a kill from the middle, then followed with two service aces. The team's serve pressure kept Winona State off balance, and Klein added two more aces as MSU went on a 10–1 run to take control. From there, Kern and Rosenberg led the offense, consistently finding gaps in the Warrior defense. With eight total aces and a .409 hitting percentage, Minnesota State closed the set 25–12, setting the tone early.
The Mavericks carried that momentum into the second set, taking a 5–1 lead behind kills from Klein and sharp setting from Lester. A service ace by Klein and a block from Kern and Lester extended the lead to 11–6, but Winona State battled back, narrowing the gap to 17–16 after several MSU attack errors. Minnesota State regrouped quickly, with Kern and Rosenberg coming up with key kills to push the lead back to 20–18. The set stayed close down the stretch, but a final kill from Kern secured a 25–23 win and a two-set advantage.
In the third set, Minnesota State kept its rhythm, jumping ahead early after a WSU service error. Rosenberg and Klein added timely kills, and the Mavericks capitalized on Warrior mistakes to build a steady lead. Midway through the set, Kern and Satori contributed kills and key blocks to keep control, while the defense limited Winona State's scoring chances. With Rosenberg closing things out offensively, Minnesota State took the set 25–16, finishing off the sweep.
The next challenge for Minnesota State will take them on the road to face No. 10 Concordia-St. Paul. The teams are set to compete on Saturday, Oct. 18 at 2 p.m. at the Gangelhoff Center in St. Paul, Minn.
