The University of Minnesota Duluth Volleyball Team defeated visiting Winona State in straight sets 25-23, 25-23, 25-16 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action Friday night at Romano Gymnasium. The league sweep improved the Bulldogs' record to 18-8 on the season and 11-8 in conference play, while the Warriors fell to 15-12 overall and 10-9 in the NSIC.
 
Junior Madeline Guetzkow paced the Bulldogs offensively with 14 kills, including career kill No. 500, while sophomore Xada Johnson and junior Paige Decker added 12 and 10 kills, respectively. Senior Kylie Broten contributed nine kills to go along with three total blocks.
 
Sophomore Ava Jones posted her seventh double-double of the season with 41 assists and 11 digs, and added three total blocks. Junior Madison Reed led all players with 19 digs.
 
As a team, UMD outhit the Warriors, .191 to .135, and also held the advantage in kills (46-37), assists (44-35), service aces (4-2) and points (56.0-47.0).  
 
The Bulldogs jumped ahead 9-6 in the first set, but the Warriors were able to take back the lead 10-12 following a 6-1 run which forced UMD to use a timeout. After falling down 14-18, two WSU errors and a Georgia Koscielak service ace pulled the Bulldogs within one point, 17-18, before a kill from Decker sparked a 6-2 run that put the home team ahead by two points, 23-21. The Warriors pulled within one, 24-23, but a kill from Johnson secured the opening-set victory for the Maroon and Gold. Guetzkow had six kills to pace the Bulldogs in the frame.
 
UMD pulled ahead 15-11 on two kills apiece from Johnson and Guetzkow midway through the second set, but WSU managed to even the score 17-17 following a 6-3 run. The Bulldogs won the battle from there, however, as they strung together an 8-7 run to take a 2-0 lead in the match. Decker had three kills in the critical run down the stretch and six kills total in the set. Johnson also had six kills in the set.
 
The score remained close early in the third set, before a kill from Guetzkow put UMD ahead by three, 14-11, and Broten followed with a kill of her own to extend the advantage to four points. A Warrior error made the score 16-11 in favor of the home team, before the visitors were finally forced to take a timeout following a block from Johnson to make the score 18-13. The home team never let off the gas, forcing the Warriors into four errors and getting kills from Johnson, Broten and Brietta Tims to secure the sweep.  
 
The Bulldogs close out regular-season action Saturday when they host No. 6 Concordia-St. Paul at 2 p.m. The contest will be the final home match for senior Kylie Broten, who will be honored with a Senior Day ceremony at the conclusion of the match. UMD will also recognize its alumnae between the second and third sets of the match that will be broadcast live on My9 Sports.