BY SAM GAZZOLA | Statesman Correspondent | The Statesman There wasn’t much that went the Bulldogs’ way Saturday against conference foe Wayne State College.
The No. 5 UMD volleyball team was swept by the No. 9 Wildcats and fell at home for the second time this season. The Bulldogs dropped to 15-5 overall and 8-4 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play. UMD was able to hold the scores close but never threatened to take any of the sets.
The first two games were won by WSC by scores of 25-21. Then the Wildcats finished off the match with a 25-23 win.
Despite his team hanging with Wayne State in each set, Bulldog head coach Jim Boos was not happy with the way his team played.
“We struggled with the first contact and couldn’t create the tempo that we wanted,” Boos said. “It was one of those nights where we didn’t do any of the things we hoped we would be able to do.”
UMD tallied 20 hitting errors and earned a hitting percentage of just .219. Wayne State forced the Bulldogs to make tough plays throughout the match and served aggressively all night.
“When Ashley Hinsch is bump-setting a third of the balls passed to her, that’s not a formula of winning,” Boos said.
Senior middle blocker Monica Turner was the most consistent Bulldog hitter. She earned 11 kills on 19 attempts and totaled a .579 hitting percentage.
UMD returns to action on the road Tuesday against St. Cloud State, who the Bulldogs swept at home earlier this season. Boos said that his team will have to clean up their passing and defending to get back in the win column.