CARSON, Calif.  In its final match of the 2022 Toro Classic, Western Colorado volleyball spotted 25th-ranked Winona State (Minn.) University a quick first-set win before posing problems for the Warriors over the next two sets, but the Mountaineers ended their stay in the Classic with a 3-0 defeat.

THE ESSENTIALS
Final score: Winona State def. Western, 3-0 (25-13, 25-19, 25-18)
Records: Western 1-6, Winona State 4-3
Event: Toro Classic
Location: Torodome, Carson, Calif.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Western never got rolling in the opening set, surrendering a pair of 5-1 runs to Winona at the start of the set. The rhythm never changed across the remaining points, deceptively giving the Warriors a false sense of security.
• Though Winona captured the second and third sets for a sweep, it was forced to deal with a scrappy Mountaineer squad that hung close throughout each game.
• There were six tie scores through the first 16 points of set two, with Winona not able to break free until three unanswered points broke an 8-8 deadlock.
• Western trimmed the deficit to one, at 12-11, but the Warriors again established a three-point cushion with the ensuing points.
• Leading up to the finish of the set, Western did not trail by more than that three-point margin, until the Warriors led 18-14.
• That gap was closed to just two, 19-17, on a Randi Wellhoefer kill and an Elizabeth Rupprecht service ace, however, Winona would out score Western 6-2 over the remainder of the set to earn another set win.
• Winona never trailed nor were there any tie scores in the third set, but Western clung to within a five-point spread or less until a 5-0 Warrior run at 16-13 built a cushion that the Mountaineers were unable to overcome.

NET NUMBERS

• Hailee Martinez and Lexi Wilmoth set up the Western attack with 15 and 11 set assists, respectively.
• Leading the attack at the net was Wellhoefer with a team-high eight kills. Both Emily Mangone and Jaeda Davis-Golliher chipped in with five kills each.
• At the net defensively, Western outshone the Warriors with 6.0 total blocks to 5.0 by Winona. Wellhoefer had a solo block and three block assists for 2.5 of the team's block total, while Davis-Golliher and Caroline Parker added 1.5 blocks apiece.
• The Mountaineers' .205 attack percentage was its best of the early season.

UP NEXT
Western opens up Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play with its next match, the home opener at Paul Wright Gym against South Dakota School of Mines on Friday, September 9 at 6 p.m. Home action continues the next day with a 5 p.m. RMAC match-up against Colorado Christian University.