ST. PAUL, Minn. (Blugolds.com) - The 17th-ranked UW-Eau Claire volleyball team defeated 19th-ranked Nebraska Wesleyan University 3-0 in round one of the 2010 NCAA Tournament at Schoenecker Arena tonight.

The Blugolds (25-9) and Prairie Wolves (23-6) met for just the second time in history, with the last meeting being in 1989 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Eau Claire won both matches 3-0.

The Blugolds didn't have much trouble handling Nebraska, winning with scores of 25-17, 25-22 and 25-17. Eau Claire outhit Nebraska .248 to .072 while the Prairie Wolves committed 23 errors to the Blugolds' 11. The Blugolds also had 12 total blocks while Nebraska Wesleyan finished with one.

Eau Claire recorded 41 kills on the night, led by Rachel Ver Voort (Sr.-Madison, Wis./Middleton) with 13. Blair Murphy (Sr.-Hermantown, Minn.) led the way with 18 digs while Emily Neave (So.-Salem, Wis./Westosha Central) and Ver Voort both had 16. Amanda Lessner (Sr.-Watertown, Wis.) finished with a match-high 36 assists.

In their 13th NCAA post-season appearance and sixth straight, the Blugolds are 12-12 all-time and are moving on to the second round for the third straight year.

Tomorrow Eau Claire will face St. Thomas (Minn.), which beat Puget Sound 3-0 in another first round match Friday. Saturday's contest will get underway at 6 p.m.