Volleyball Sweeps No. 15 Winona, Splits First Day Of New Season

For the second year in a row, Ashland University's volleyball team is running through a tournament gauntlet of nationally-ranked teams to begin a new season.
 
On Friday (Aug. 26) in St. Paul, Minn., the Eagles face a pair of ranked squads in the 2022 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) preseason poll, topping No. 15 Winona State, 3-0 (25-19, 25-22, 25-18) at night, and losing to No. 6 Concordia-St. Paul, 3-0 (25-15, 25-19, 25-23) in the afternoon.
 
Ashland, receiving votes in the first national poll of 2022, gained a measure of revenge against the Warriors, as then-14^th-ranked Winona topped the Eagles, 3-0, on Sept. 10 of last year at the UIndy Invitational.

The victory over Winona was the Eagles' first against a ranked team since the memorable 3-2 come-from-behind victory over Ferris State at home on Oct. 26, 2019.
 
WHAT HAPPENED

• The victory over Winona saw a balanced offensive attack paced by fifth-year outside hitter Erin Krupar, who ended with 11 kills, and sophomore right-side hitter GraceAnn Hartman, who had nine kills and hit .562. Fifth-year senior setter Zoey Peck earned 33 assists, junior libero Katie Thompson collected 20 digs, and senior middle blocker Anna Krikke led the effort at the net with five block assists and a solo block.
• In the season-opener vs. CSP, sophomore outside hitter Makenna Belcher led the Eagles with 11 kills, while Peck added 23 assists. Defensively, Thompson had a team-best 13 digs.

 
UP NEXT
The Eagles will play two matches on Saturday (Aug. 27) in St. Cloud, Minn. – 11 a.m. East vs. No. RV Minnesota Duluth (2-0), and 6:30 p.m. East vs. No. 9 St. Cloud State (2-0).