EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – The 20th-ranked UW-Eau Claire volleyball team, hosting its annual Labor Day Classic, opened with a win but fell later in the day to a nationally ranked opponent at the McPhee Physical Education Center.
The Blugolds kicked the season off well as they defeated Lawrence University in three sets, 25-7, 25-16, 25-17. But Carthage College, ranked 11th in the nation, handed the Blugolds a loss in four sets, 25-16, 25-15, 20-25, 25-11.
Against Lawrence, the Blugolds finished with a .210 attack percentage to Lawrence's -0.011. The Blugolds had 27 total kills and five service aces compared to 20 and 1 for the Vikings.
Anne Satterlee (Jr.-Green Bay, Wis./Ashwaubenon) led the Blugolds with six kills while two others each had five. Lauren Sutherland (Dayton, Minn./Meadow Creek Christian) had a team-best two service aces while Jenny Burzynski (Sr.-Stanley, Wis./Stanley-Boyd) led with nine digs. Emily Neave (Jr.-Salem, Wis./Westosha Central) recorded a match-high 26 assists.
Facing Carthage, the Blugolds dropped the first two sets but forced a fourth set after winning 25-20 in the third.
As a team the Blugolds hit .198 and finished with 35 kills.
Kelly Schuh (So.-Appleton, Wis./Hortonville) led the team with 11 kills while Burzynski finished with 14 digs to lead the Blugolds. Neave again led the team in assists as she accumulated 33.
The five team Labor Day Classic concludes tomorrow. Eau Claire will face the College of St. Benedict (Minn.) at 10 a.m. and will follow with a match at 2:30 p.m. against Concordia-Moorhead (Minn.).
-KM-
