MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Wichita State had six players with at least seven kills, including a career-high 16 from Emerson Wilford, and rolled past Memphis 25-20, 24-26, 25-13, 25-16 on Wednesday night at the Larry O. Finch Center.
The Shockers (6-7, 1-0) improved to 6-2 in conference openers since joining the American in 2017.
Wichita State scored efficiently in every facet of the game, hitting .333 to go along with 10 aces and seven blocks. The Shockers limited Memphis (6-7, 0-1) to a .156 clip offensively, out-digging the Tigers, 59-52.
After the two teams traded points to reach 11-11 in the opening set, Wichita State created breathing room with a 5-0 run spurred on by two Annalie Heliste aces. The Shockers would not relinquish that lead the rest of the way, though Memphis did trim the margin to 21-19 on a kill from Tabytha Toelke. WSU responded with kills from Strand, Gonzales and Wilford to clinch the opening frame, 25-20.
The Shockers had a chance to seize a 2-0 advantage when they inched in front late in the second set, taking a 24-23 lead via a Wilford kill. But a service error, attack error and Memphis kill from Clara Bednarek denied Wichita State, 26-24 and evened the match at one set apiece.
Wichita State ran away and hid in the third set, pouncing to an 11-5 lead that quickly swelled to double digits. WSU committed just one attack error in the set, hitting a robust .481 and adding five service aces, three of which came consecutively from Morgan Stout. Another late burst with Heliste at the service line extended the cushion to 23-10 and a few points later a Memphis attack error secured the set, 25-13.
Reagan Anderson sparked a 5-0 run to open the fourth set and the Shockers countered every Memphis attempt at a rally. When the Tigers clawed to within 7-5, Wichita State scored the next three points to restore the five-point margin. Memphis later got to within 20-16 and forced a Wichita State timeout, but kills from Wilford, Gonzales and Strand got the Shockers across the finish line, 25-16.
Wilford’s 16 terminations led the way for Wichita State, coming on 44 swings at a .295 percentage. Brooklyn Leggett joined Wilford in double figures with 10 kills at .304, followed by Maddie Wilson (9), Stout and Strand (8 apiece) and Gonzales (7). Strand flirted with a triple-double, logging 37 assists and 16 digs, good for match-high honors. Heliste recorded 11 digs and Anderson set a new career high with 10 digs.
The Shockers 10 service aces are the first time in double digits since October 14, 2022 at Cincinnati. Stout’s four aces established a new personal best, while Heliste fired three for the second time this season.
Wichita State returns home to take on Temple on Friday night at Charles Koch Arena. First serve is scheduled for 7:00 pm.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
