DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The MSU Denver volleyball team made a strong statement to begin its 2025 campaign, grinding out a five-set win over Flagler in the afternoon before turning around and defeating Embry-Riddle 3-1 in the evening at the ICI Center.
In the opener against Flagler, the Roadrunners showed resilience in rallying for a 25-13, 17-25, 20-25, 25-19, 15-12 victory. Annika Helf powered the offense with 11 kills and 11 digs, while Alyssa Boyte hit a blistering .625 with 10 kills and six blocks. Megan Hagar contributed eight kills and four service aces, while setter Karyna Werley dished out 21 assists to go with four kills.
MSU Denver carried that momentum into the nightcap, topping host Embry-Riddle 23-25, 25-16, 25-18, 25-17. Helf was dominant, slamming 18 kills on .412 hitting with four blocks and nine digs to finish the day with 29 total kills. Boyte stayed hot with 10 more kills on .500 hitting and added four blocks, while Brooke Gennerman provided seven kills and eight digs. Werley again ran a balanced attack, handing out 19 assists with nine kills on .533 hitting, while GabriElle Brewer totaled 24 assists and six aces in the win.
The Roadrunners, now 2-0, continue their trip in Florida with two more matches on Saturday. They will play Sioux Falls at 10:15 a.m. followed up with their last match of the tournament against Montevallo at 2:45 p.m.
VS. FLAGLER
The Roadrunners opened their 2025 season with a gritty performance over Flagler College, taking down the Lions in five sets.
Annika Helf led the way in the first set with three kills and a pair of service aces. Flagler struggled early on, gifting the Roadrunners eight points off attacking errors.
Five service aces from the Lions in the second set propelled them to a 25-17 win, tying the match at one set a piece. After posting a .545 kill percentage in the first set, MSU Denver had just a .310 clip the following set.
Flagler claimed the third set after putting up a match-high 14 kills along with three service aces. The Roadrunners also had three aces, but hurt themselves with five service errors, giving the Lions the match lead after three sets of play.
After trailing 5-7 early in the fourth set, the Red and Blue went on a 5-0 run, earning three of those points off blocks. Sophomore Alyssa Boyte was involved on all three of those crucial scores. Another block from Boyte brought her to six on the game, en route to MSU Denver hanging on for a 25-19 win in the fourth set.
In a close fifth set to decide the match, the Roadrunners held onto a one point lead most of the set, until pulling away after back-to-back Flagler errors, making it 12-9 in favor of MSU Denver. The Red and Blue clinched the match on a service error by the Lions.
VS. EMBRY RIDDLE
The Eagles got out to an early 4-1 lead thanks to a pair of service aces from Dakota Zieman. After the Roadrunners trailed by just one point (6-7), Embry Riddle rattled off a 4-0 run to make it 11-6 in their favor. Kills from Karyna Werley, Boyte, and Helf late in the match brought MSU Denver within one point of the Eagles (20-21). Embry Riddle took the set after a Roadrunner service error and a kill from Zieman.
MSU Denver grabbed control early in the second set, racing to a 10-4 advantage behind kills from Annika Helf and Karyna Werley. Embry-Riddle struggled to find rhythm, committing five attack errors in the frame, and the Roadrunners never looked back. Helf continued to dominate at the net, and a late service ace from GabriElle Brewer sealed the 25-16 win to even the match at one set apiece.
The Roadrunners built steady momentum in the third, hitting a blistering .407 as Helf, Alyssa Boyte, and Kryssa Moerman combined for nine kills. After Embry-Riddle closed within 12-10, MSU Denver responded with a 6-2 run to stretch the lead. The Eagles managed 12 kills in the set but were undone by five errors, and Werley's late kill clinched the 25-18 decision for a 2-1 match lead.
The Red and Blue showed poise in closing out the match, breaking a 6-6 tie with a 7-2 surge sparked by Helf and Werley. Though Embry-Riddle tried to rally, the Eagles hit just .033 in the frame while the Roadrunners continued to side out efficiently. A Boyte block and another Helf kill capped the 25-17 victory, sealing the Roadrunners' second straight win to start the season.
