Defending National Champion Ends Titans' Volleyball Season

Top-ranked and defending national champion Calvin College (Mich.) defeated UW-Oshkosh, 3-0, in the first round of the NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Championship held Thursday (Nov.13) in Kenosha.

The Knights won the contest in set scores of 25-23, 25-22, 25-13.

The Titans (31-8), who were making their first appearance in the NCAA Championship since 2010 and 16th overall, finished with their best record since 2009. UW-Oshkosh reached 31 wins for the sixth time in past 10 seasons.

Calvin College's Maggie Kamp led all players with 14 kills. Laura Danhoff added nine kills on .381 hitting, and Jenna Lodewyk 36 assists for the Knights.

UW-Oshkosh's Katelyn Malcheski had a team-high 10 kills on .333 hitting. Nerissa Vogt added seven kills and a match-high four blocks. Lexi Thiel registered 24 assists running the Titan offense, while Mandy Trautmann had a match-best 18 digs.

The Titans' lone senior, Danielle Stoppenbach, contributed seven digs in her last match to give her 1,005 during her 134-match career.

Calvin College, which was seeded second at the eight-team Kenosha Regional, began the match with 5-1 lead and never trailed in the opening set. Seventh-seeded UW-Oshkosh rallied to tie at 5, 11, 12 and 13, when Calvin College scored four consecutive points on a kill, a service ace and two Titan attack errors. Trailing 21-16, UW-Oshkosh notched five of the next seven points behind four kills and one combo block to make the score 23-21. A kill by the Knights provided set point at 24-21. The Titans fended off two set points on a kill by Vogt and a Calvin College attack error before a service error ended the comeback attempt.

UW-Oshkosh held a 17-11 advantage in kills and outhit Calvin College, .324 to .182 in the opening set.

The Titans earned their first lead of the match at 4-3 in the second set. UW-Oshkosh opened a 12-7 lead, but Calvin College claimed nine of the next 12 points for a 16-15 edge. The Titans regained an 18-16 lead with a three-point run that featured a combo block by Vogt and Thiel and a kill by Malcheski. Tied at 18, two more Malcheski kills put UW-Oshkosh back on top before Calvin College went on a decisive five-point run that featured four straight kills. Malcheski notched another two straight kills to bring the Titans within 23-22, but the Knights registered a kill and then a service ace on set point.

Tied at 9 in the third set, Calvin College completed the sweep by scoring 16 of the last 20 points. The Knights outhit the Titans, .433 to -.031 during the final set.

Calvin College advances to play Elmhurst College (Ill.) on Friday (Nov. 14). Elmhurst College defeated UW-Whitewater, 3-2, in the opening match of Thursday's Kenosha Regional.

UW-Oshkosh Postgame Press Conference

Photo courtesy of Johanna Heidorn