Titans Tally 3-0 Wins Over Green Knights, Vikings

A total of 19 Titans saw action as the nationally ranked UW-Oshkosh women's volleyball team earned a pair of 3-0 wins on Wednesday (Sept. 16) in Stevens Point.

UW-Oshkosh (12-3), ranked 24th in the NCAA Division III by the American Volleyball Coaches Association, recorded its ninth three-set sweep of the season.

Three Titans had double-digit kills in UW-Oshkosh's victory over St. Norbert College by set scores of 25-17, 25-21, 25-22. Nineteen of the 20 players on the UW-Oshkosh roster contributed in a 25-12, 25-9, 25-15 decision over Lawrence University.

In the opening match against St. Norbert College, Tina Elstner, Katelyn Malcheski and Nerissa Vogt had 11 kills each to lead the Titan attack. Vogt hit at a .435 rate and added a match-high six blocks for UW-Oshkosh, which entered the week leading the NCAA Division III in blocks and digs while listing fourth in kills. Elstner chipped in five blocks and Brooke Brinkman four.

Lexi Thiel produced her 16th career double-double with 36 assists and 10 digs. Madison Micech and Eilish Regan paced the Titan back row with 12 and 11 digs, respectively.

UW-Oshkosh amassed 11 blocks and 42 kills on .261 hitting. St. Norbert College was limited to just two blocks while compiling 37 kills with a .101 hitting percentage.

The Titans won 11 of 13 points, including runs of five and six straight points, to open up a 15-7 advantage in the first set. Seven of UW-Oshkosh's 13 points during the run came on St. Norbert College errors. Elstner had four kills in the opening frame.

UW-Oshkosh trailed for just one point in Set 2, which featured six blocks by the Titans. St. Norbert College cut its deficit to one point at 18-17, but the Titans strung together three consecutive points on a kill by Malcheski, a Green Knights error and a service ace by Regan. A kill by Vogt gave UW-Oshkosh a 23-20 lead, and an Elstner kill closed out the frame.

St. Norbert College led, 11-9, in the third set before UW-Oshkosh stormed back to reclaim a 13-11 advantage on a kill by Vogt. The Titans upped their lead to 21-16 on a combination block by Brinkman and Malcheski, but the Green Knights forged the eighth and final tie of the frame at 22 behind three kills, a service ace and two Titan errors. The Titans regrouped to conclude the match with a kill by Elstner and two kills by Vogt.

St. Norbert College (3-6) was led by Halie Ferry's match-high 16 kills. No other Green Knight had more than six terminations. Ferry hit a robust .342 and contributed 12 digs.

Kaitlin Delahaut had 20 assists and Lauren Lehman 11 while sharing the St. Norbert College setting duties. Green Knight Aubree Antosch led all players with 26 digs.

UW-Oshkosh never trailed against Lawrence University. The Titans held leads of 19-9 in both of the first two sets and raced out to an 11-3 advantage in the final frame.

The Vikings got within 15-13 in the final set, but the Titans ended the frame with a 10-4 run that included three kills by Sarah Halles and two by Renee Rush.

The Titans pounded down 49 kills and hit .482 as nine players connected at a rate of .444 or better.

Malcheski and Shay Sullivan led UW-Oshkosh with nine kills apiece. Malcheski hit .467 on 15 attempts, while Sullivan hit .643 on 14 errorless swings.

Brinkman hit .444 with five kills, Elstner contributed three kills on .600 hitting, Halles chipped in three kills in four swings, Rush added five kills on seven errorless attempts, Vogt notched six kills on .667 hitting, and Brianna Witter produced six kills at a .625 rate.

Thiel registered 32 assists and a team-high nine digs.

Lawrence University (1-12) was held to just 18 kills with a .095 hitting percentage.

Arianna Neumeyer led the Vikings with five kills. Lauren Ray had a team-best seven assists and five digs for Lawrence University.

UW-Oshkosh returns home for its conference opener next Wednesday (Sept. 23) against natonally ranked UW-Whitewater.

Photo courtesy of Jack McGlaughlin