Titans Fall in WIAC Semifinal Thriller

OSHKOSH, Wis.- The second seeded UW-Oshkosh Titans Women's volleyball team fell to the third seeded UW-Stevens Point Pointers in five sets in a WIAC semifinal match in Oshkosh on Thursday.

Titan Leaders

Carissa Sundholm and Riley Kindt each recorded 14 kills, good for best on the team. Izzy Coon led with 23 assists and three aces. WIAC Defensive Player of the Year Abby Fregien had a team-high 28 digs. Riley Dahlquist led with a 0.276 kill percentage (11 kills on 29 total attacks).

Pointer Leaders

WIAC Offensive Player of the Year Ashley Kopp led the Pointers with 26 kills. Melanie Meyer led with a 0.178 kill percentage (15 kills on 45 total attacks). Grace Michalske recorded 55 assists. Emma Peterson led with 37 digs.

Set Summary

In a 32-minute marathon of a first set, there were 15 tie scores and seven lead changes in an eventual 27-25 extra point win for the Titans. The set was never more than two points apart. A four-point run by the Titans to put them up 15-13 caused Stevens Point to call their first timeout of the match. The Titans kept that lead until the Pointers tied it up again at 19-19. After tying once again at 25, a Riley Dahlquist kill and a Stevens Point attack error ended the set, putting the Titans up one set to none.

Stevens Point came back with a vengeance in the second set, beating the Titans 13-25. The Titans took a first point lead before quickly falling behind 1-5, forcing a timeout to be called. They climbed back within one, but a five-point run for the Pointers put the set out of reach, never getting back within six.

Oshkosh took a second set loss and turned it into a third set win. The set stayed close through an Oshkosh timeout at 12-11. After the timeout, the Titans went on a 6-point run that could not be stopped by a Pointer timeout. Oshkosh left that timeout with a four-point lead that would slowly grow into a seven-point final lead, beating Stevens Point 25-18.

In a close fourth set, the Titans couldn't keep the momentum, falling 23-25. Oshkosh fell behind early again. They were down by as much as three before they tied the set up at seven. They built up to a 13-10 lead, holding onto it until the Pointers would tie the set up at 19 and eventually take the set, scoring the final two points.

The Titans took a lead at 3-2, and tied the fifth set three more times, but they couldn't take back the lead, losing the last set 14-16.

WIAC Final Matchup

UW-Stevens Point will face UW-Whitewater in Whitewater Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. in the WIAC final.

Looking Forward

The Titans will now await an at-large bid to the NCAA Division III national tournament. The selection show will take place on Nov. 7 at noon local time on NCAA.com.