Titans Place Second In Their Own Invitational

UW-Oshkosh posted a 3-1 record and finished second in its own women's volleyball invitational held Friday and Saturday (Sept 17-18) in Kolf Sports Center.

UW-Oshkosh, ranked seventh in the NCAA Division III by the American Volleyball Coaches Association, opened the nine-team tournament with wins of 25-23, 25-10, 25-22 over Loras College (Iowa) and 25-17, 25-17, 20-25, 25-22 over Northwestern College (Minn.).

The Titans (12-2) then suffered a 25-23, 25-22, 21-25, 25-20 loss to Wartburg College (Iowa) before recording a 25-19, 25-18, 18-25, 25-17 win over Ripon College.

Andrea Smith (Sr. • Fond du Lac) led the Titans with 49 kills and added 45 digs and nine blocks. Christina Cahoon (Sr. • Watertown) piled up 88 digs, Morgan Liebetrau (So. • West Bend) 132 assists and 29 digs and Robyn Eggert (Fr. • Woodridge, Ill.) 47 digs and six service aces.

Aleisha Bagin (So. • West Bend) provided 42 kills, Andrea Felton (So. • New Berlin) collected 34 kills and 27 digs and Brittany Gruning (So. • Mukwonago) 25 kills, eight blocks and five service aces.

UW-Oshkosh hit a season-high .387 in their sweep of Loras College (9-2). Bagin led the Titans with 19 kills, Smith added 11 and Felton 10. Cahoon stacked up 20 digs and Eggert added 10. Liebetrau dished out 43 assists, Larissa Krumplitsch (So. • Appleton) added three blocks and Gruning had four service aces.

In only its second meeting against Northwestern College (4-8), UW-Oshkosh received a season-high 34 digs from Cahoon to pace the Titans' defense. Liebetrau dished out 48 assists and added 15 digs. Smith added 14 digs and 13 kills, Felton 14 kills and 12 digs and Bagin 15 put downs. Jenna Schwartz (Fr. • Watertown) shined with three service aces and Eggert picked up seven digs.

Despite 94 total digs, including the second straight match of 34 by Cahoon, UW-Oshkosh could not overcome 28 hitting errors in their first-ever loss to Wartburg College (10-5). Smith totaled 19 digs, 15 kills and four blocks and Felton amassed 11 digs and 10 kills.

UW-Oshkosh picked up their second 3-1 win over Ripon College (6-9) on the year behind a career-high 14 kills and four blocks by Sarah Petermann (Fr. • Appleton). Eggert scooped up a career-high 19 digs, Alison Tomczyk (Fr. • Oshkosh) ran the offense with a career-best 50 assists and Smith added 10 kills on a .500 hitting percentage.

Eggert added four service aces, Schwartz picked up three blocks, Brittany Murawski (Fr. • Lake Zurich, Ill.) collected a career-best nine kills and Gruning had eight kills. The Titans have now won 11 straight matches over the Red Hawks.

Named to the 10-member all-tournament team from UW-Oshkosh were Felton and Smith.

UW-Oshkosh opens its WIAC schedule at UW-Platteville on Wednesday (Sept. 22).