In the end, the University of North Texas needed a win more than Wichita State did. It showed on the volleyball court, as the Mean Green beat the Shockers, 3-2 on Friday evening (22-25), (25-23), (26-24), (13-25), (15-9).
The Shockers dropped to 10-5 in the American Athletic Conference (AAC) and fourth in the standings. With East Carolina University closing its regular season with a win on Friday evening, Wichita State cannot finish better than fourth but can drop to fifth with a loss in its final game and a University of Tulsa win.
The Mean Green, meanwhile, were playing to keep their season alive, snap a seven-game losing streak and defend their home court. They achieved that with a gutsy win that keeps them in contention to qualify for an AAC Tournament bid.
Wichita State out-hit North Texas .370 to .260, out-dug them 60-56 and out-blocked them 15-7. The Mean Green made up some of the margin with 10 service aces to the Shockers’ three.
The 15 blocks from WSU ties the team’s most since September. Wichita State’s .370 hitting percentage was the team’s best since the first game of the season in August.
It was the best hitting percentage for the team in a loss since at least 2006.
The first set was close throughout, but Wichita State pulled through with the help of senior middle blocker Morgan Stout and fifth-year setter Izzi Strand. The pair combined for three kills and a block down the stretch.
North Texas rallied to an early 8-2 lead in the second set. The Shockers rallied back, cutting the deficit to 1 point three times in the last six points, but the Mean Green fended them off each time, winning the set.
Yet again, the Mean Green ran out to an 8-2 lead in the third set. And yet again, Wichita State fought back, but was never able to take the lead.
WSU tied it at 23 and tied the set again at 24 after a push shot from freshman outside hitter Alyssa Gonzales rolled over the net. However, North Texas won the last two sets to take the advantage in the game.
It looked like the fourth set would be close as well, but Wichita State rode a 12-3 run midway through the frame to easily win. That set up a winner-take-all fifth set where the Shockers’ momentum completely dissipated.
Wichita State never led in the frame, and the Mean Green rode a 6-1 run to cruise to victory.
Sophomore middle blocker Maddie Wilson returned to the Wichita State starting lineup and had a career day. She finished with a career-high 16 kills and seven blocks while hitting .652, the third-best single-game hitting percentage with at least five attempts for anyone on the team this year.
Stout, as dependable as always, chipped in with 15 kills and eight blocks to lead the team. Gonzales and freshman outside hitter Gracie Morrow also had 13 kills, a career-high for the ascending first-year player. Strand came up one short of a season-high with 54 assists.
Four of Wichita State’s five losses in the AAC have happened in five sets. The game ended a three-game road trip for the Shockers, who will return to Charles Koch Arena for senior day on Sunday, Nov. 17, against the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). The first serve for that game is scheduled for 1 p.m.
