ST. JOSEPH, Minn. (Blugolds.com) – One day after splitting its opening matches at the Saint Benedict Labor Day Tournament, the UW-Eau Claire volleyball team again earned a split today to start the season with a 2-2 record.
Eau Claire opened the day beating Bethel University (Minn.) 3-0. The first set was closely contested with Bethel taking the first point and the teams kept it close the entire way, but the Blugolds pulled off the 28-26 win in the end.
In the second set, the Blugolds jumped out to a 6-1 lead but Bethel tied it up later at 11. While the Blugolds never trailed, the score was tied three more times before Eau Claire won 25-18. The final set went to Eau Claire 25-19 and the Blugolds trailed only once right at the beginning.
Two Blugolds reached double-digit kill totals. Katrina Raskie (Fr.-Weston, Wis./D.C. Everest) led the match with 11 while Megan Tracy (Jr.-New Hope, Minn./Robbinsdale Cooper) tallied 10. Maggie Holcombe (Fr.-Shakopee, Minn.) had a match-high 25 set assists and Lauren Sutherland (Sr.-Dayton, Minn./Meadow Creek Christian), who was named to the All-Tournament Team, led the match with 22 digs while Raskie and Holcombe each had 11.
Against 19th-ranked Saint Benedict (Minn.), the Blugolds fell 3-0. The Blazers won the opening set 25-13, never trailing the entire way. The second set was closer and Eau Claire had an early lead while it was also tied midway through the set. But Saint Benedict hung on for the 25-20. The Blazers jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the final set and went on to win 25-10.
Kelly Schuh (Sr.-Appleton, Wis./Hortonville) finished the contest tying for a match high with nine kills. Holcombe again led the team in sets with 20 while Sutherland finished with 16 digs, a match-best.
The Blugolds will be home Wednesday when they face Viterbo University, which is ranked No. 15 in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics preseason top 25 coaches' poll. The match is set to begin at 7 p.m. in the McPhee Physical Education Center for Student Appreciation Night.
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