Titans Win Three of Four Matches In Virginia

The UW-Oshkosh women's volleyball team captured second-place at the Christopher Newport University Invitational by taking three of four matches on Friday and Saturday (Oct. 8-9) in Newport News, Va.

UW-Oshkosh started play by sweeping Virginia Wesleyan College 25-21, 25-17, 26-24, and losing to Christopher Newport University (Va.) 25-13, 25-14, 22-25, 25-19 on Friday and outlasting Washington & Lee University (Va.) 25-18, 25-15, 19-25, 21-25, 15-12 and Salisbury University (Md.) 25-13, 19-25, 22-25, 25-23, 15-8 on Saturday.

Andrea Felton (So. • New Berlin), who was named to the six-person all-tournament team, led the Titans with 36 kills, 45 assists, 53 digs and seven service aces.

Aleisha Bagin (So. • West Bend) contributed 42 kills, Christina Cahoon (Sr. • Watertown) added 72 digs and seven service aces and Andrea Smith (Sr. • Fond du Lac) picked up 54 digs and 25 kills. Morgan Liebetrau (So. • West Bend) dished out 123 assists and added 22 digs and six service aces, Robyn Eggert (Fr. • Woodridge, Ill.) scooped up 36 digs and Sarah Petermann (Fr. • Fond du Lac) racked up 28 digs.

After a fast start against Virginia Wesleyan University (12-5), UW-Oshkosh survived hitting -.054 in set three to pull out the sweep of the Marlins.

Jordyn Bratel (Fr. • Milwaukee) led the team with seven kills and Felton provided 29 assists, nine digs and three service aces. Cahoon tallied 22 digs, including 13 in set three, and Smith collected seven digs and six kills. Petermann accumulated nine digs and Larissa Krumplitsch (So. • Appleton) slammed down six kills.

UW-Oshkosh struggled offensively in their lost to Christopher Newport University (21-1) in Friday's nightcap. Hitting negative the first two sets, the Titans refused to go away by slamming down 16 kills in the third stanza, including six by Felton. Tied at 18-18 in set four, the Captains went on a 7-1 run to end the contest.

The contest, a re-match of last year's NCAA Division III championship quarterfinal round won by UW-Oshkosh was witnessed by 1,285 spectators. The Titans entered the squabble ranked 10th and the Captains sixth according to the latest AVCA NCAA Division III poll.

Felton provided the offensive spark for the Titans with 12 kills, while adding 11 assists and 16 digs. Cahoon grabbed 24 digs and Liebetrau ran the offense with 24 assists. Smith tacked on 14 digs and eight kills, Bagin reached double-digit kills with 10 and Eggert contributed nine digs.

UW-Oshkosh continued its mastery of winning five-set matches by taking both contests on Saturday in the deciding fifth stanza. With the wins, the Titans have now won 21 of their last 22 five-set affairs, including five matches this season.

After beating Washington & Lee University (14-4) in the first two sets, the Titans withstood the Generals' rally by taking a 14-9 advantage in set five. Washington & Lee University scored the next three points to inch to within two points before a kill by Bagin sealed the match.

Krumplitch had a career-high 12 kills on a .450 hitting percentage to pace the Titans. Liebetrau connected on 47 assists while adding a career-best five service aces and Bagin and Bratel finished with 10 kills. Felton piled up a team-high 17 digs to go along with nine kills and Brittany Gruning (So. • Mukwonago) slammed down six kills in only 11 attempts.

Cahoon finished with 14 digs, Smith 12 and Eggert 11 and Cahoon and Eggert each tacked on two service aces.

The Titans piled up a season-best 98 digs in a come from behind victory over Salisbury University (13-8). After winning by 12 points in the first set, UW-Oshkosh struggled by hitting under .100 in sets two and three to fall behind 2-1 in the contest.

After surviving a close fourth set, the Titans rolled to the win by slamming down 10 kills on a .409 hitting percentage to pick up the victory. Bagin and Smith provided the offensive spark in the set by recording three kills each and Petermann picked up five digs.

Led by Smith with 21, the Titans had six players record double-digit digs. Petermann followed with a career-best 19 digs, Liebetrau 14, Cahoon 12 and Eggert and Felton with 11. Bagin led UW-Oshkosh with 17 kills, Felton had 10 and Gruning and Smith each had eight.

Liebetrau dished out a season-high 49 assists, Cahoon added five service aces and Bagin and Felton each added two service aces of their own.

Next up for UW-Oshkosh is a meeting with UW-Stevens Point on Wednesday (Oct. 13) in Kolf Sports Center.