SIOUX FALLS— Despite 18 kills from career leader Makenna Rockeman, the University of Sioux Falls Volleyball Team (5-4, 0-1 NSIC) dropped an Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference matchup to No.19 Wayne State (8-1, 1-0 NSIC) in five sets 3-2 (16-25, 25-18, 25-16, 19-25, 11-15) in its home opener at the Stewart Center on Thursday night.

Before a large group of students and USF supporters, USF lost the opening set before rebounding to take a 2-1 lead in sets. However the nationally ranked Wildcats took the fourth set and rallied from an 8-4 deficit in the fifth set by closing the match on an 11-3 run.

Rockeman, who now has 1,114 career kills, had her 18 kills on 63 attacks. USF had four players in double digit kills for the second time this season. Sophomore Averey Yaksich had 15 kills on 39 attacks for a .232 hitting percentage and had a double double with 114 digs. Seniors Bria Barfnecht and Lexi Scott both had 13 kills for USF which hit .198 as a team with 69 kills on 192 attacks. Sophomore Krista Goerger joined Yaksich with double doubles. She had 57 set assists and 16 digs. Senior Anna Peterson had a team high 23 digs as USF had 87 as a team. USF, led by seven block assists from Barfnecht, had seven total team blocks.

The first set went back and forth until it was tied 8-8, then the Wildcats went on a 6-1 run which forced the Cougars to call a timeout. Barfnecht followed the Cougar timeout with two kills to keep the set from getting away. The Wildcats pulled away late in the set to take a 25-16 first set decision. USF was outhit .231 (8 kills on 26 attacks) by WSC to 0.50 for USF, which 13 kills but 11 errors with 40 attacks.

USF started the second set with a 5-2 advantage due three team blocks and some rock solid defense. The Cougars, which hit .341 in the set (18 kills on 44 attacks), began to pull away midway through the set after taking a 13-8 lead behind kills from Yaksich and Scott. The Wildcats came out of the timeout and scored two quick points, but USF responded with three points of their own. USF scored six of the last seven points to win the set, 25-18.

The third set started with a 5-0 offensive explosion by the Cougars which caused Wayne State to use a timeout. USF would continue with the momentum to gain a 10-1 lead. The Wildcats came back with four points to make the score 10-5. The Cougars continued to put pressure on the Wildcats extending their lead to 19-12. USF, which had a .297 hitting percentage (15 kills on 37 attacks), captured the three final points to win the set, 25-16 and grab a 2-1 lead in sets.

But the Wildcats had the answer in the fourth set. They opened up a 3-0 lead before USF rallied to tie the match at 8-8. The Wildcats then went on a 7-1 run to lead USF, 15-9. Behind big time defense and a kill by Barfnecht, the Cougars rallied back to within three points at 16-13 and forced Wayne State to call a timeout. The Wildcats answered with three straight points and finished off the set with a 25-19 decision. WSC hit .171 (10 kills, 41 attacks) to .098 (15 kills on 51 attacks) for USF.

The fifth set started with USF pulling out to an early 8-4 lead. The Wildcats, which hit .304 (nine kills on 23 attacks), called timeout and then rallied to win the match. USF, which hit .250 with eight kills on 20 attacks, stopped a short WsC run but the momentum had shifted. The Wildcats closed on an 11-3 run to close out the fifth set, 15-11 and take the hard fought victory.   

The USF Volleyball Team will travel to Augustana to face the Vikings Saturday, Sept. 9 with the match starting at 5 p.m.