Titans Remain Unbeaten After Play In Pizza Hut Classic
UW-Oshkosh had little trouble in recording wins of 3-0 over Dominican University (Ill.) and 3-1 over Ripon College at the Pizza Hut Classic held Saturday (Sept. 13) in Kolf Sports Center.
The Titans defeated Dominican University in set scores of 25-12, 25-18, 26-24 and Ripon College in set scores of 26-24, 25-13, 23-25, 25-14.
UW-Oshkosh, which won all four of its matches as hosts of the two-day Pizza Hut Classic, improved its record to 12-0 on the season. The College of Saint Benedict (Minn.), ranked 14th in the NCAA Division III by the American Volleyball Coaches Association, was the only other team that went 4-0 at the Pizza Hut Classic.
Nerissa Vogt hit .400 and led the Titans with 27 kills and nine combined blocks in the two victories. Katelyn Malcheski added 22 kills on .404 hitting, while Laura Trochinski had 22 kills and 21 digs. Morgan Cizauskas totaled 79 of the Titans' 87 assists to go along with 16 digs. Mandy Trautmann led UW-Oshkosh in digs for the two matches with 36.
Trochinski, Malcheski and Brooke Brinkman were named to the 16-member all-tournament team.
UW-Oshkosh hit .280 and recorded nine blocks in the sweep of Dominican University.
Malcheski had 14 kills on .394 hitting and four blocks against the Stars, while Vogt added 12 kills on .407 hitting and three blocks. Trochinski contributed nine kills and nine digs, while Brinkman had a match-high five blocks. Trautmann led all players with 19 digs, and Cizauskas had 33 assists and nine digs.
UW-Oshkosh went on runs of four and six points to build a 15-5 advantage and never trailed in Set 1.
The Titans turned a 6-2 deficit in Set 2 into a 17-10 lead with the help of three kills by Vogt and two by Malcheski. UW-Oshkosh led by at least five points the rest of the set.
UW-Oshkosh didn't lead the third set until a Dominican University ball handling error gave the Titans a 13-12 edge. Set 3 was tied 12 times, including for the last time at 24, when Vogt and Malcheski recorded back-to-back kills to complete the sweep.
Caitlen Foote led Dominican University (5-5) with 11 kills and added 11 digs. The Stars' Christina Wilson had a match-high 35 assists.
UW-Oshkosh hit .328 and had 9.5 blocks in the win over Ripon College (9-4).
Vogt paced the Titans with 15 kills on .393 hitting and six blocks, while Trochinski added 13 kills on 23 attempts and 12 digs. Brinkman contributed nine kills on .348 hitting, while Malcheski had eight kills on 19 errorless attempts and Cizauskas 46 assists, seven digs and four blocks. Trautmann led three Titans in double figures with 17 digs.
UW-Oshkosh never trailed in Set 1 and led 20-13 after a Ripon College attack error. The Red Hawks battled back to tie the score at 24, but onsecutive kills by Trochinski and Malcheski allowed the Titans to win the set.
The Titans had 13 kills on 24 errorless attempts and led from start to finish in Set 2. Brinkman, Malcheski and Vogt combined for 11 of UW-Oshkosh's 13 kills in the set.
Ripon College ended UW-Oshkosh's string of 18 straight set wins in a third set that featured nine ties. Neither team led by more than three points the entire set. The Titans took a 23-21 lead on a kill by Brinkman, but the Red Hawks scored the last four points to extend the match.
UW-Oshkosh used an eight-point run on Trochinski's serve to build a 15-3 lead in Set 4.
Allison Barnes and Emily Gary led Ripon College with 15 kills apiece. Katie Berrell added 13 kills for the Red Hawks, while Abbi Williamson had a match-high 48 assists.
UW-Oshkosh travels to De Pere on Wednesday (Sept. 17) to play Lawrence University and host St. Norbert College.