Titans Wins 16th Straight Match Over Red Hawks
Tina Elstner recorded 13 kills and 14 digs, Rachel Gardner led all players with 27 digs and the UW-Oshkosh women's volleyball team defeated Ripon College, 3-1, on Friday (Sept. 21) in Aurora, Ill.
UW-Oshkosh (8-6), which picked up its 16th straight victory over Ripon College, downed the Red Hawks by set scores of 25-17, 22-25, 25-21, 25-15 on Friday.
Elstner, playing her fourth match of the season after returning from injury, notched her first double-double of the year and 22nd of her four-year career.
Gardner, who lists second in the WIAC in total digs, collected at least 20 digs for the fifth time this season and the 20th time in her three years as a Titan.
Taylor Allen, Samantha Jaeke and Renee Rush each added nine kills for the Titans, who also received 10 digs from Becky Brezen. Jaeke hit a team-leading .273 in her season debut while Allen and Elstner both had a match-high five blocks.
Emma Kiekhofer and Rebecca Doughty registered 22 and 12 assists, respectively, while co-piloting the UW-Oshkosh offense.
The Titans concluded the contest with advantages in kills (49-38), hitting percentage (.150 to .078), assists (45-36), digs (78-68) and blocks (11-6). Both teams had five service aces.
UW-Oshkosh gained control in the opening set behind a 7-1 scoring run that resulted in a 15-8 lead. The momentum-shifting run included kills from Allen, Elstner and Jaeke, and a combination block by Allen and Elstner. Leading 23-17, the Titans recorded the final two points of the frame on kills by Elstner and Jaeke.
The Titans tallied five of the first six points of the second set, but Ripon College answered with a 15-4 run for a 16-9 advantage. UW-Oshkosh rallied to knot the score at 22 on a Red Hawk error, but Ripon College capped the frame with three consecutive points.
UW-Oshkosh rattled off seven straight points, including six on kills and one on a service ace by Doughty, for a 10-4 cushion during the third set. The Red Hawks (5-8) regained a 14-13 lead and extended their advantage to 19-16 following a Titan attack error. Tied at 21, UW-Oshkosh closed out the set with four straight points, including a kill from Rush, a combination block by Allen and Rush, and a service ace from Shelby Coron on set-point.
In the fourth set, the Titans turned a 7-5 deficit into a 12-7 lead and never looked back. Highlighting the seven-point UW-Oshkosh surge were a pair of kills from Rush, a double-block by Allen and Kendall Enyart, and a service ace from Katie Hodges. The Titans gained match-point after a Red Hawk attack error and finished off the match on a Ripon College service error two points later. The Titans limited the Red Hawks to a -.184 hitting percentage in the final set.
Kaylie Marks led Ripon College with 11 kills on .429 hitting. Emily Allard chipped in 10 terminations for the Red Hawks, who received a match-best 32 assists from Olivia Heck and a team-leading 18 digs from Stacie Klika.
UW-Oshkosh remains in Illinois to face Carthage College and tournament host Aurora University on Saturday (Sept. 22).