Pointers Guard Home Court Against Titans

UW-Stevens Point compiled a 19-4 edge in blocks to take down UW-Oshkosh, 3-2, in a women's volleyball match on Wednesday (Sept. 28) in Stevens Point.

The Pointers (10-6/3-1 WIAC) took the five-set contest by scores of 25-23, 23-25, 21-25, 25-14 and 15-10. UW-Oshkosh (9-7/1-1 WIAC) held a 7-6 lead in the deciding fifth game, but UW-Stevens Point responded with five straight points – including the last four on Titan errors.

Morgan Bartkowiak was part of 13 Pointer blocks that limited UW-Oshkosh to a hitting percentage of .084. Alexis Hartman also recorded seven block assists while setting up her teammates with 53 assists. Christina Brinkman and Sarah Wildish each paced the victors with 19 kills.

UW-Stevens Point, which hit .224 for the night, marked an 8-1 spurt during game one to take control. The Titans reversed the score in the second set by bolting to a 14-7 cushion. Tying the game four times in the closing minutes, the Pointers couldn't finish during a two-point defeat.

Consecutive blocks gave UW-Oshkosh a 7-3 advantage in game three. Morgan Nick (Fr. • Fond du Lac) then closed out the 25-21 win with kills on the final two points. The fourth set was a completely different story, as the Pointers tallied six unanswered points to go ahead, 16-9, and lead the rest of the night.

The Titans benefitted from Jordyn Bratel's (So. • Milwaukee) 17 kills, Morgan Liebetrau's (Jr. • West Bend) 43 assists and Sarah Petermann's (So. • Appleton) 22 digs. UW-Oshkosh committed 37 errors to the Pointers' 22, while UW-Stevens Point posted a slim, 83-81 margin in digs.

UW-Oshkosh will play four matches at the Purple & Gold Invitational in Rochester, N.Y. on Friday and Saturday (Sept. 30-Oct. 1).