Red Hawks No Match For Titans

Katelyn Malcheski had 11 kills on .429 hitting as the nationally ranked UW-Oshkosh women's volleyball team trailed for just two points while defeating Ripon College, 3-0, on Tuesday (Sept. 15) in Kolf Sports Center.

The Titans (10-3), ranked 24th in the NCAA Division III by the American Volleyball Coaches Association, downed the Red Hawks by set scores of 25-15, 25-14, 25-13.

UW-Oshkosh hit .321 and committed just eight attack errors en route to its seventh 3-0 victory of the season.

Nerissa Vogt, who entered the contest leading the Division III in blocks, contributed eight kills on 14 attempts to go along with a match-best six blocks for UW-Oshkosh. Vogt now has 56 blocks on the season.

Brooke Brinkman added six kills on 10 attempts for the Titans. Tina Elstner and Carly Lemke chipped in five and four kills, respectively. Brinkman, Lemke and Vogt all finished the match with .500 hitting percentages.

Lexi Thiel had 32 assists directing the UW-Oshkosh offense. Laura Trochinski paced the Titans with seven digs and two service aces.

Thiel entered the match ranked second in the country with 393 assists, while Mandy Trautmann was second nationally with 249 digs. Trautmann played just one set against Ripon College and recorded three digs.

UW-Oshkosh, which has won the last 20 meetings with Ripon College, held advantages in kills (35-30), hitting percentage (.321 to .132), service aces (4-0), digs (33-31) and blocks (7.5-3).

The Titans went into the match leading the Division III with 841 digs and 97 blocks while listing fourth in the nation with 527 kills.

UW-Oshkosh led the entire first set as Malcheski collected six kills. The Titans raced out to a 12-3 advantage and took an 18-7 lead on a combination block by Vogt and Lemke. Ripon College trimmed its deficit to 23-15, but a service error and a kill by Brinkman ended the frame.

Ripon College (2-8) had its first lead of the match on the first point of Set 2, but the Titans scored four straight points for a 10-6 advantage and led by at least three points the remainder of the set.

The Red Hawks held its second and last lead of the match at 1-0 in the third set before UW-Oshkosh claimed 11 of 12 points to open a 14-4 spread. The Titans' six-point run was interrupted by a Ripon College kill, but UW-Oshkosh rattled off five more points, including two on service aces by Trochinski, to seize control and secure the victory.

Katie Berrell, Emily Gary and Kat Kulas paced the Ripon College attack with seven kills each. Abbi Williamson had team-best totals of 29 assists and seven digs.

UW-Oshkosh travels to Stevens Point on Wednesday (Sept. 16) to face non-conference foes Lawrence University and St. Norbert College.