Titans Conclude UW-Oshkosh Classic With Sweeps
Tina Elstner had a match-high 12 kills in both contests as the UW-Oshkosh women's volleyball team won a pair of 3-0 decisions to conclude play at the UW-Oshkosh Classic on Saturday (Oct. 7) in Kolf Sports Center.
UW-Oshkosh (11-12) defeated Simpson College (Iowa) in set scores of 25-22, 25-15, 25-18 before ousting St. Olaf College (Minn.), 25-13, 25-14, 25-18.
The Titans have won 17 straight matches over Simpson College while UW-Oshkosh and St. Olaf College met for the first time since the Titans secured a 3-1 victory over the Oles on Oct. 28, 2000.
In the win over Simpson College, UW-Oshkosh tallied the final three points of the first set and closed the second set with a 12-2 scoring run. The Titans never trailed during the final set after racing out to a 7-1 advantage.
Elstner hit .400 on 25 attacks while adding eight digs, four service aces and four blocks.
UW-Oshkosh's Samantha Jaeke contributed six kills, 11 assists and three blocks. Carly Lemke had six kills and three blocks for the Titans, who also received four kills and a match-best five blocks from Shelby Coron, a team-leading 18 assists from Rebecca Doughty and 13 digs from Rachel Gardner.
The Titans held advantages in kills (32-22), hitting percentage (.161 to .011), assists (31-21), service aces (8-4), digs (41-26) and blocks (11-6). UW-Oshkosh outhit the Storm in each set – .077 to -.056 in the first, .304 to 1.03 in the second and .160 to .000 in the third.
Set 1 was tied for the 11th and final time at 22 following a UW-Oshkosh attack error. A kill by Lemke gave the Titans a 23-22 edge, and a pair of Storm attack errors concluded the frame.
Simpson College (7-11) jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the second set. But UW-Oshkosh knotted the score at 8 after a combination block by Coron and Renee Rush. Tied at 13, the Titans took the lead for good on a kill by Elstner. The termination sparked a string of seven unanswered points by UW-Oshkosh that included another two kills from Elstner, a kill from Lemke, and a double-block by Lemke and Brianna Witter that gave the Titans a 20-13 lead. Elstner's seventh and final kill of the frame provided set-point at 24-15, and a Simpson College attack error closed the set.
The Titans' 7-1 surge to begin the third set featured a pair of kills from Coron, a kill and a block from Jaeke, and a service ace from Madison Micech. Three consecutive UW-Oshkosh errors allowed Simpson College to pull within 16-13, but Rush, Elstner and Coron rattled off three straight kills to extend the Titans' lead to 19-13. Leading 22-18, Elstner earned the sweep with a kill and a pair of service aces on the last three points.
Jacque Luth and Morgan Taylor led the Storm with seven kills apiece. Alyssa Mathews compiled 21 assists while Ariana Martinez had a team-high 11 digs.
In the triumph over St. Olaf College, UW-Oshkosh hit a robust .367 while limiting the Oles to a .065 attack percentage. The Titans have hit better than .300 twice in the last four matches and four times this season.
The Titans also owned considerable advantages in kills (37-26), assists (36-24) and service aces (5-1) while having a 30-29 edge in digs. Both teams registered 6.5 blocks.
Lemke pounded down eight kills on 11 errorless attempts for the Titans, and Coron chipped in five kills and three blocks.
Jaeke amassed seven kills on 16 attacks, 14 assists and three blocks while Elstner led UW-Oshkosh with six digs and Doughty dished out a team-high 19 assists.
St. Olaf College (17-7) was led by Lauren Rewers' seven kills and four blocks. The Oles' Lexi Wall and Haley Langeslag had match bests with 21 assists and 18 digs, respectively.
The Titans concluded the two-day UW-Oshkosh Classic with a 3-1 record. On Friday (Oct. 6), UW-Oshkosh defeated North Park University (Ill.) and lost to nationally ranked University of St. Thomas (Minn.) by 3-0 scores. University of St. Thomas is ranked 17th in the NCAA Division III by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). Eight of UW-Oshkosh's 11 losses this season have been to teams ranked in the AVCA's top 25.
Elstner and Jaeke were named to the 12-member UW-Oshkosh Classic All-Tournament Team. Elstner had match-high kill totals during each of the Titans' three wins over the weekend, collecting 42 terminations to go along with 30 digs, nine blocks and five service aces, while Jaeke registered 25 kills, 54 assists, 19 digs and 10 blocks.
Joining the UW-Oshkosh duo on the All-Tournament Team were Allie Carter and Merritt Johnson from UW-Platteville, Marina Dalton from Finlandia University (Mich.), Grace Duffy and Ellie Meyer from University of St. Thomas, Megan Grimes and Langeslag from St. Olaf College, Karley Johnson from Maranatha Baptist University, Martinez from Simpson College, and Lauren Wiltsie from North Park University.
UW-Oshkosh returns to conference action when it plays at UW-Stevens Point on Wednesday (Oct. 11).