Titans Lose A Pair Of Five-Set Matches

The UW-Oshkosh women's volleyball team lost a pair of five-set matches against nationally ranked opponents Elmhurst College (Ill.) and Colorado College on Friday (Oct. 2) in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Elmhurst College defeated the Titans by set scores of 25-15, 22-25, 25-20, 20-25, 15-13. Host Colorado College's winning set scores were 25-14, 18-25, 18-25, 28-26, 16-14.

Colorado College (17-1) is ranked ninth in the NCAA Division III by the American Volleyball Coaches Association, while Elmhurst College (14-5) lists 15th and UW-Oshkosh (14-5) 19th.

UW-Oshkosh played its fourth consecutive five-set match and sixth of the season. The Titans, who now own a 3-3 record in five-set matches this year, defeated UW-Whitewater and UW-Platteville by 3-2 scores in the two previous matches.

In the first match against Elmhurst College, UW-Oshkosh forced a fifth set for the third consecutive contest, but the Bluejays overcame a 7-3 deficit in the final frame to claim their fifth victory over the Titans in the six meetings since 2010.

UW-Oshkosh jumped out to leads of 4-0 and 7-3 in the fifth set before Elmhurst College rallied to even the score at 10 on back-to-back hitting errors by the Titans. A third straight UW-Oshkosh attack error gave the Bluejays an 11-10 advantage, and Elmhurst College extended its lead to 13-11 on two straight kills by Olivia Parks. UW-Oshkosh closed to within 14-13 on a kill by Brooke Brinkman and a Bluejays attack error, but Elmhurst College converted its third match point when the Titans' attack sailed out of bounds.

Elmhurst College claimed the first set after registering 16 kills on .400 hitting compared to eight kills and a rate of .071 by UW-Oshkosh.

The Titans scored eight straight points in the second set, including six on errors by the Bluejays, to take a 14-13 lead. Trailing 22-20, UW-Oshkosh recorded the last five points of the set to even the match. The teams combined to commit 26 total errors and hit just .071 in the frame.

Elmhurst College marked five consecutive points to take a 5-2 advantage it never relinquished in the third set. The Bluejays increased their lead to 21-13 on the way to outhitting the Titans, .290 to .143, in the frame.

The fourth set was tied for the 11th and final time at 18, when UW-Oshkosh recorded three points in a row on kills by Mandy Trautmann and Brinkman, and an attack error by Elmhurst College. Leading 23-20, the Titans sent the match to a fifth set on a kill by Brianna Witter and a Bluejays attack error.

Alli Rogers led Elmhurst College with 16 kills. Mary Lawrence added 15 kills, while Hannah Nimrick contributed a match-best 49 assists, 11 digs and seven kills. Amy Schryver led all players with 20 digs for the Bluejays.

Witter paced UW-Oshkosh with a career-high 13 kills on .478 hitting. Nerissa Vogt had 11 kills while leading the Titans with four blocks. Katelyn Malcheski and Brinkman added 10 and nine kills, respectively. Lexi Thiel registered 42 assists, and Trautmann had a team-leading 18 digs.

Elmhurst College held advantages in kills (62-52), hitting percentage (.187 to .139) and service aces (7-0). The Titans had a 71-70 edge in digs and 10-9 in blocks.

In the second match against Colorado College, the host Tigers got out to an 8-1 lead in the fifth set on two kills and six UW-Oshkosh errors. A service ace by Laura Trochinski cut the Titans' deficit to 10-7 before a four-point run on three Tigers errors and a kill by Malcheski gave UW-Oshkosh a 13-12 advantage.

The teams proceeded to exchange hitting errors, setting up match point for the Titans at 14-13, but the Tigers scored the last three points of the contest on a kill by Abbe Holtze, a Titan ball-handling error, and a kill by Glenna Yancey.

Colorado College scored the first six points of the match and led the entire first frame. UW-Oshkosh pulled within 13-12, but the Tigers rattled off 12 of the last 14 points of the set.

UW-Oshkosh, which hit -.031 in the first set, limited Colorado College to a combined -.024 hitting percentage in the second and third frames to take a 2-1 lead. The Titans ended the second set with a 14-7 run and the third frame with a 16-8 skein.

The fourth set was tied for the eighth time at 10 before UW-Oshkosh pulled out to a 17-12 advantage behind three kills and four Tiger errors. Colorado College answered with four straight points to get within 17-16. The set was tied at 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25, and for the 15th and final time at 26, when two straight errors by the Titans sent the match to the fifth set.

Holtze had a match-high 16 kills and five service aces to go along with 11 digs for Colorado College. Aria Dudley added 10 kills for the Tigers, who also received nine kills, nine assists and 11 digs from Courtney Birkett; and a team-leading 28 assists from Sarah Barker. Colorado College's Sophie Merrifield led all players with 28 digs.

Vogt led UW-Oshkosh with 14 kills, followed by 10 kills apiece from Malcheski and Allison Rueger. Trochinski chipped in eight kills and 15 digs, Carly Lemke provided career-high totals of seven kills and nine blocks, and Vogt added eight of the Titans' season-high 18 blocks. Thiel compiled 39 assists while directing the offense, and Trautmann led the back row with 23 digs.

UW-Oshkosh concludes its trip to Colorado Springs when it plays Cornell College (Iowa) on Saturday (Oct. 3).