St. Vincent volleyball team splits with defending state champion Winona

The St. Vincent volleyball team split its pool play match with two-time defending Class 1 state champion Winona on Friday at the Show Me Center.

The Indians won the first set 25-18 and lost the second 25-16.

Katie Verseman broke a 6-6 tie with a kill in the first set to spark a 6-2 run by the Indians. Katie Verseman had another kill and a block during that stretch while her sister Jackie Verseman had a service ace.

Winona's two points in that stretch came from a net violation and a service error.

A couple of kills by Winona's Rachel Holthaus and a net violation and attack error by the Indians allowed the Wildcats within a point at 13-12.

Jackie Verseman had kills on consecutive points before Holthaus answered with a pair of her own to keep it at a one-point deficit.

A kill by Katie Verseman extended the Indians lead to 20-17 and forced a Winona timeout.

The teams exchanged points before a service ace made it 22-18. A Jackie Verseman kill and two kills by Delia Lowman closed out the set.

St. Vincent had two service errors in the first seven points of the second set to help Winona to a 4-3 lead.

Winona's Kyndal Thomason made it 6-3 with a pair of kills.

The Indians controlled the next few points with three kills and an attack error.

A Winona attack error tied it at 7-all.

The set was tied four more times after that -- the last at 12-12.

A kill by Abigail Hough gave Winona the edge and St. Vincent coach Cindy Cissell took a timeout.

The Wildcats went on a 7-1 run following the timeout and took a 19-13 lead on a ball handling error by St. Vincent.

A kill by Katie Verseman pulled the Indians within four points, but they wouldn't get any closer.

Winona closed the set out on a 5-0 run that included a service ace and a ball handling violation by the Indians.

Both teams are 3-1 in pool play.

St. Vincent faces Santa Fe, which is winless in pool play, and Winona faces New Haven (2-2). at 1 p.m. Friday.