Box Score WAYNE, Neb. – Suffering their first loss of the season, University of Sioux Falls Volleyball pushed 17th-ranked Wayne State to the brink before falling in five sets, 3-2 (25-19, 25-22, 20-25, 20-25, 15-12), on Thursday night. The Cougars fall to 5-1 on the year with a 0-1 record in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play.
Bria Barfnecht continued the outstanding start to her junior season, leading both teams with a career-high 21 kills and she added 15 digs for her third straight double-double. Barnfecht only committed two errors on 36 attempts to hit a season-best .528 attack percentage.
Megan Hamstad directed the USF offense to a .241 attack percentage with 55 assists and her career-high 18 digs helped her to her second career double-double.
Makenna Rockeman posted a season-best 19 kills and middle blocker
Lexi Scott continued her streak of double-digit kills with 10 terminations and a .368 attack percentage.
Janelle Lam also extended her season-opening streak with 17 digs, stretching her span of matches with 10-plus digs to six.
Anna Peterson picked up a career-high eight digs and freshman
Averey Yaksich narrowly missed out on her first career double-double with nine kills and 14 digs.
Wayne State (6-3, 1-0 NSIC) took the first two sets, holding the Cougar offense to a .208 attack percentage. The Wildcats won the first set 25-19 then took a 2-0 lead into the intermission after a 25-22 victory in the second set.
USF was keen on getting back in the match and they rushed out to a seven-point lead in the third set at 13-6, but Wayne State's persistence eventually drew them even at 15-15. The teams traded blows and WSC took a 19-18 lead before the Cougars went on a five-point run. Hamstad recorded an ace and set up Rockeman and Barfnecht in the run then teamed up with Barfnecht for a kill that closed out the set in favor of the Cougars, 25-20.
The fourth frame was equally back-and-forth with both USF and Wayne State stringing together short runs. USF built an 11-8 advantage after two Barfnecht kills, but Wayne State responded to tie the score. Steadily, the Cougars constructed another three-point lead after kills from Rockeman, Scott and Barfnecht. The Wildcats pulled even at 19-19 before another critical spree by USF. Barfnecht connected on two more kills then combined with
Abby Feyereisen for one of USF's eight blocks on the night. USF arrived set point before their five-point run ended, but a Wayne State ball handling error gave the Cougars the 25-20 set win and tied the match at two sets apiece.
After a Feyereisen and Rockeman block started a three-point burst that put USF ahead 4-3 in the decisive fifth set, the Cougars were never able to gain a lead again. Wayne State stretched their lead to 12-8 before the Cougars took a timeout. The interruption in play helped USF start a 4-1 run, which pulled them within one point at 13-12. Barfnecht, Rockeman and Feyereisen all put down a kill in that stretch before two WSC terminations ended USF's upset bid with a 15-12 fifth-set loss.
The Cougars return home to host crosstown rival No. 9 Augustana on Saturday, Sept. 16 at 3 p.m. in the Stewart Center.
