PLATTEVILLE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – The UW-Eau Claire women's volleyball team and UW-Platteville went back and forth tonight, but the Pioneers came out on top, beating the Blugolds 3-2 in Williams Fieldhouse.
Eau Claire won the opening set 25-21, Platteville won the next one 25-20 but the Blugolds bounced back and won the next set 25-22. In the fourth set, the Pioneers evened up the match with a 25-22 win and used their momentum to take the fifth set 15-12.
In the opening set, the Blugolds trailed just one time while the score was tied seven other times. After a 13-13 tie, the Blugolds were able to build a six-point lead (24-18) after outscoring the Pioneers 11-5.
The Blugolds opened the second set with a 5-0 run and led 16-9 before Platteville went on an 11-2 run to get up 20-18, and the Blugolds couldn't recover from there.
In the third set, the Blugolds never trailed but it was played closely. After a 13-13 tie, each team had a couple of runs to keep the score close but the Blugolds were able to stay ahead by at least two points the rest of the way.
After the Blugolds scored the first two points in the fourth set, the Pioneers responded by scoring the next four and never trailed the rest of the set. Platteville worked its way to an 18-12 lead and while the Blugolds got back into the set with a 5-0 run, that was as close as they would get as the Pioneers went on to win 25-22.
In the final set, Eau Claire came from behind to get up 12-11 but the Pioneers scored the final four points to capture the set 15-12 and won the match 3-2.
Three Blugolds reached double figures in kills with Katrina Raskie (So.-Weston, Wis./D.C. Everest) leading the way with 20 and had a team-high hitting percentage of .312. She also had 17 digs while Jamie Dimka (Jr.-Wausau, Wis./East) led the match with 20. Jenna Smits (Jr.-Green Bay, Wis./Preble) led the match with 49 set assists and Alexis Wong (Sr.-Maple Grove, Minn.) had a match-high three service aces.
Eau Claire falls to 10-12 on the season and 1-3 in the WIAC while Platteville improves to 9-14 overall and 1-3 in conference play.
Tomorrow the Blugolds will be at the Elmhurst Invitational in Elmhurst, Ill. for two matches. They will take on St. Olaf College (Minn.) at noon and will follow with a match against St. Mary's (Ind.) at 2 p.m.
-KAM-
