Brooke Brinkman assisted on three blocks while totaling a pair of kills in one set played against the Red Hawks.
Brooke Brinkman assisted on three blocks while totaling a pair of kills in one set played against the Red Hawks.

Titans Capture Red Hawks In Three Sets

Tina Elstner had 12 kills to lead the nationally ranked UW-Oshkosh women's volleyball team to a 3-0 victory over Ripon College on Tuesday (Sept. 13) in Ripon.

UW-Oshkosh, ranked 23rd in the NCAA Division III by the American Volleyball Coaches Association, swept the Red Hawks in set scores of 25-17, 25-18, 25-13.

The Titans have won 20 of the 21 meetings with Ripon College since 1995, including 15 in a row.

UW-Oshkosh (9-2), which extended its season winning streak to seven matches, has defeated five of its last six opponents by 3-0 scores.

Elstner produced her eighth match this season with 11 or more kills by hitting a season-best .476 on 21 attempts. Elstner and Laura Trochinski tied for the team lead with six digs.

Samantha Jaeke added seven kills and a match-high five blocks for the Titans, who also received 23 assists in two sets played from Lexi Thiel, a season-high six kills in two sets from McKenna Scott and four blocks in two sets from Nerissa Vogt.

UW-Oshkosh held significant advantages in kills (43-23), hitting percentage (.286 to .023), service aces (6-2) and blocks (13-3). The Titans collected 16 kills in the first set, 13 in the second and 14 in the fourth.

Ripon College raced out to a 9-5 lead in the opening set before UW-Oshkosh knotted the score at 9 on a kill by Brooke Brinkman. A kill by Elstner gave the Titans the lead for good at 11-10, and UW-Oshkosh rattled off the final six points of the frame on three kills by Elstner, one kill apiece by Shannon Herman and Carly Lemke and a Red Hawks error.

In the second set, UW-Oshkosh tallied six consecutive points to take a 12-5 lead. Elstner pounded down three kills and Thiel recorded a solo block during the run. The Titans extended their lead to 18-8 on a service ace by Renee Rush and concluded the set with a combination block by Jaeke and Vogt.

The Titans built a 13-4 advantage in the third set following a skein of five points that included kills from Scott and Brianna Witter, a service ace from Trochinski and a solo block from Witter. UW-Oshkosh scored eight of the last nine points of the match, including three on kills by Scott.

Katie Berrell and Kat Kulas led Ripon College (6-3) with six kills apiece. Abbi Williamson registered 21 assists while Stacie Klika led all players with nine digs.

UW-Oshkosh plays Lawrence University and St. Norbert College on Wednesday (Sept. 14) in Appleton.