Titans Open Pizza Hut Classic With Two Wins

The UW-Oshkosh women's volleyball team opened its own Pizza Hut Classic with 3-0 wins over Concordia University Wisconsin and St. Catherine University (Minn.) on Friday (Sept. 12) in Kolf Sports Center. The Titans defeated Concordia University Wisconsin, 25-13, 25-23, 25-20, and St. Catherine University (Minn.), 25-16, 25-18, 25-18.

UW-Oshkosh (10-0) averaged 15.3 kills per set and hit a combined .321 in the two wins.

Brooke Brinkman and Laura Trochinski paced UW-Oshkosh's attack with 22 kills apiece. Brinkman hit .465 in the two matches, while Trochinski hit .395 with 18 digs. Katelyn Malcheski added 21 kills, Morgan Cizauskas 83 assists and Mandy Trautmann 32 digs.

Trochinski had a career-high 16 kills to go along with 12 digs and two service aces as UW-Oshkosh defeated Concordia University Wisconsin (5-1) in a battle of unbeaten teams.

Brinkman added 10 kills on 21 attempts and Nerissa Vogt had nine kills on 17 attempts as the Titans counted 43 kills and hit .300 against the Falcons. Cizauskas had 40 of UW-Oshkosh's 41 assists, while Mandy Trautmann led three Titans in double figure digs with 14.

UW-Oshkosh used three runs of at least five points to cruise in Set 1 against Concordia University Wisconsin. The Titans jumped out to a 6-0 lead and used a five-point run to go up 13-3 and another five-point run to close out the set.

Trailing 16-11 in Set 2, the Titans registered seven kills to pull within one at 21-20. Concordia University Wisconsin then stretched its lead to 23-20, but the Titans won the next five points on a Brinkman kill and four Falcon errors.

The Titans didn't take the lead in Set 3 until a Concordia University Wisconsin service error made the score 16-15. UW-Oshkosh never trailed again in Set 3 and earned the sweep on Rachel Smith's service ace on match point.

UW-Oshkosh had 16 kills on .368 hitting in Set 1, 15 kills on .238 hitting in Set 2 and 12 kills on .300 hitting in Set 3.

Terese Zymanek led Concordia University Wisconsin with 10 kills, while Ashley Jehlicka marked 21 assists, 12 digs and five kills.

Cizauskas had 43 assists in leading UW-Oshkosh to 49 kills on .342 hitting in the win over St. Catherine University.

Malcheski recorded a match-high 15 kills on 30 attempts, while Brinkman had 12 kills on .500 hitting. Trochinski had six kills on .455 hitting, while Trautmann registered 18 digs.

UW-Oshkosh went on a six-point run to build 10-3 lead in Set 1 on a Trochinski service ace. The Titan lead reached 20-8 on consecutive kills by Trochinski. The Wildcats never got closer than nine points the rest of the set.

The Titans had a seven-point run on Trochinski's serve to build a 13-5 lead in Set 2.

Set 3 was tied seven times, including for the last time at 12. Consecutive kills by Jessica Fischer gave the Titans a 16-13 lead and two straight kills by Malcheski increased the lead to 22-16. The teams sided out until match point, when Fischer recorded the match winner.

UW-Oshkosh outhit St. Catherine University, .342 to .071, and won the kills column, 49-23.

Alyssa Besch led St. Catherine University (6-5) with six kills, while Shanee Herd had a match-best 19 digs.

UW-Oshkosh plays Dominican University (Ill.) and Ripon College on Saturday (Sept. 13) to conclude its participation in this year's Pizza Hut Classic.