Wright State Earns First Horizon League Tourney Berth Since 2009

Courtesy: Wright State Athletics

The Wright State volleyball team honored its seniors Saturday and showed great poise as they cruised to a 3-1 win over Youngstown State and qualified their first Horizon League Tournament since the conference went to a top-six team format in 2009.  WSU tied Milwaukee for fifth and will be a six seed.  The Raiders, 15-13 and 7-9, will finish with its first .500 or better record since 2003 and the most League wins since 2008.

That feeling when you are going to the Horizon League Tournament for the 1st time in a decade!!! #RaiderUp #allthefeels #history @WSURaiders @HorizonLeague pic.twitter.com/Lce31roAhg

— Wright State Vball (@WSUVball) November 11, 2018

Prior to the match, the Raiders honored its two seniors Alannah Lemming and Bailey Wheatley.

Celia Powers finished 14 kills and 13 digs while Mallory Ladd collected 12 kills.  Lemming had eight kills and six blocks while Grace Hauck ended with seven. Lainey Stephenson posted 43 assists with 11 digs and Teddie Sauer had eight blocks.  WSU hit .195 overall, including .282 in the second set with 31 blocks overall.

First Set
It was a tight set with the lead back and forth until WSU took control to lead 20-16 but ended losing 26-24.  Lemming and Powers had three kills while Bailey Wheatley led with seven digs and Stephenson with nine assists.

Second Set
WSU led throughout, winning 25-16.  The offense was spread around with six players registering two kills each as the Raiders hit .282.  Stephenson had 10 assists while the team posted seven overall blocks.

Third Set
The Raiders led the whole way in this set, including 3-0, 10-3 and 14-6 before winning 25-14.  Mallory Ladd came in to grab five kills while Powers had three.  Jenna Story collected eight digs while Stephenson put up nine assists.

Fourth Set
This set was closer as the score stayed within three much of the time but the Raider managed to pull away and win 25-22.  Powers had six kills with four digs as Ladd finished with five more kills.  Stephenson had 15 assists.

Next Up
The Raiders will play in the Horizon League Tournament in Green Bay Friday-Sunday.  WSU is the #6 seed and will play #3 Northern Kentucky Friday at 4 pm eastern.  With a win, the Raiders will advance to play #1 and host Green Bay at 4 pm.  The championship match will be Sunday at 3 pm.  All matches will be on ESPN+.