Titans Take Care Of 14th-Ranked Blugolds

The UW-Oshkosh women's volleyball team remained undefeated on the season, winning its 21st straight match after surviving a 25-19, 25-10, 21-25, 26-24 back-and-forth affair over UW-Eau Claire on Friday (Oct. 2) in Kolf Sports Center.

After dominating UW-Eau Claire in the first two sets, UW-Oshkosh was pushed to the limit by an inspired Blugolds squad, and had to rely on extra points in the fourth set to finish the match.

UW-Oshkosh (21-0/5-0 WIAC) held UW-Eau Claire to a .071 hitting percentage in the first two sets, while hitting .306 on offense. Ahead 9-5 in set one, the Blugolds were outscored 45-20 to end the second set, falling behind 2-0 in the match.

After a line-up change, UW-Eau Claire (14-3/1-2 WIAC) caught fire from the right side as UW-Oshkosh could not stop the Blugolds attack. UW-Eau Claire hit .306 in the stanza, led by the six kills of Kristen Moore.

The fourth set was close throughout as neither team had more than a three-point advantage as the score was tied 10 times. Tied at 19-19, 20-20 and 21-21, the Titans built a 24-21 after a side-out and two hitting errors by the Blugolds.

After a kill by Emily Zupon closed the gap to 24-22, UW-Eau Claire produced another kill and a block on the outside to tie the score 24-24. UW-Oshkosh responded with a kill by Aleisha Bagin (Fr. • West Bend) and an ace serve by Katelyn Vara (Sr. • New Berlin) to end the match.

UW-Oshkosh, ranked number one for the second consecutive week in the NCAA Division III according to the American Volleyball Coaches Association, was led by Andrea Smith (Jr. • Fond du Lac) who had 13 kills and 12 digs.

Vara collected 47 assists, 10 digs and four blocks and Christina Cahoon (Jr. • Watertown) scooped up a match-high 18 digs and tallied three service aces. Brittney Cote (So. • Orland Park, Ill.) added 17 digs and Jacque Ray (Sr. • Richland Center) provided 13 kills and five blocks.

UW-Oshkosh's Katie Beining (Sr. • Brookfield) finished with 12 kills, 11 digs and three service aces and Bagin and Larissa Krumplitsch (Fr. • Appleton) each had eight kills.

UW-Eau Claire, who entered the match as the 14th-ranked team in the country was led by Moore who finished with 12 kills and five blocks. Rachel Vor Voort had 17 digs, Blair Murphy 14 digs and Katie Wall six blocks. Emily Neave and Amanda Lessner shared setting duties with 31 and 14 assists, respectively.

UW-Oshkosh held advantages of 58-49 in kills, 52-46 in assists, 9-3 in service aces, 72-56 in digs and .269-.152 in hitting percentage. Both team recorded eight blocks.

With its 24th-straight home win, the Titans take a two and a half game lead in the race for the WIAC title over idle UW-Platteville and UW-River Falls.