Winona, Minn.—After losing last night to No. 23 Upper Iowa, the University of Minnesota Crookston volleyball team was looking to rebound against Winona State.
 
The Warriors started strong and held off the Golden Eagles in the third set to sweep the Golden Eagles on Saturday afternoon (14-25, 12-25, 22-25).
 
Minnesota Crookston falls to 2-10 overall (0-4 NSIC), while the Warriors improve to 10-2 overall (2-2 NSIC).
 
Key Players
Minnesota Crookston
Deaira Gresham, 12 kills, 35 total attacks, 10 digs
Sydney Kruisselbrink, 5 kills, 8 total attacks, 14 assists
Katie Lienemann, 16 digs
 
Key Players
Winona State
Megan Flom, 15 kills, 26 total attacks, .462 attack percentage
Madison Rizner, 11 kills, 17 total attacks
Becca Pagel, 20 digs
 
Set One
The Warriors jumped out to a really quick start and led 3-0 after two-straight kills from Kate Masberg. Minnesota Crookston would get on the board with a Shelby Dunbar (Fr., MH, Fertile, Minn.) block.
 
WSU would lead 6-1, before Sydney Kruisselbrink (Jr., S/DS, Rochester, Minn.) and Porsha Porath (So., OH, Windom, Minn.) had kills to help the Golden Eagles make it 6-5.
 
The Golden Eagles would then trail 11-10, before the Warriors would go on a run. WSU led 19-13, before scoring five in a row to take a 24-13 lead and would put the first set away two points later.
 
Set Two
Set two would be all Warriors from the start. Winona State would lead 13-2 in the sets first 15 points.
 
The Golden Eagles would try to fight back in the second set and would get two kills from Deaira Gresham (Jr., OH, Maplewood, Minn.) to cut the lead to 16-6.
 
The Warriors were able to hold off a Golden Eagles rally and win set two, 25-12.
 
Set Three
The Golden Eagles showed resiliency in set three and got out to a fast start. Alyssa Thomas (Sr., DS, Marion, Iowa) helped the Golden Eagles start fast with a service ace.
 
The Warriors would eventually take a 7-6 lead, before kills from Kruisselbrink and Gresham put the maroon and gold back on top 8-7.
 
Winona State would score the next six out of seven points to move on top 13-9. Trailing 16-12, Minnesota Crookston would score three in a row led by Gresham, to move within one.
 
Minnesota Crookston would tie it at 18 and 19, before the Warriors took a 21-19 lead. The Golden Eagles rally wouldn't be enough in the third set as the Warriors finished off the Golden Eagles 25-22 to win set three and the match in three sets.
 
Minnesota Crookston is back on the road next weekend at Northern State and MSU Moorhead. First serve between the Golden Eagles and Wolves is set for 6 p.m., on Friday night.