EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – The UW-Eau Claire women's volleyball team won two matches to open the first day of its own Fall Classic in the McPhee Physical Education Center today. The Blugolds took down 15th-ranked Trinity University (Texas) 3-2 to start the day and closed the day with a 3-1 victory over Saint Mary's (Minn.).
Box Score | Box Score | Fall Classic Website
In the opening match against Trinity, the Blugolds won the first set 25-22 before dropping the next two 25-20 and 25-16. They then bounced back with a 25-21 set four win and won the match after picking up a 15-13 victory in the final set.
The first set was played close and while Trinity led late, 22-21, the Blugolds claimed the victory by scoring four straight points.
But Trinity came back strong in the second set, jumping out to a 12-3 lead, and while the Blugolds eventually worked their way back to within three at 13-10, they could never get any closer than a three-point deficit the rest of the way. Trinity also jumped out to a commanding lead in the next set, getting up 18-9 and the Blugolds were never able to overcome the margin.
The Blugolds found themselves down again in the fourth set, 7-4, but used a 5-0 run to get back into it and never trailed the rest of the way. They built a 22-13 lead and went on to win the set 25-21.
In the final set, Trinity led early and the teams found themselves tied late, the last time at 13-13 before the Blugolds were able to win the match after scoring two points.
Trinity outhit the Blugolds .242-.149 and had 66 kills compared to 60 for the Blugolds. Trinity also committed 11 fewer attack errors, 31-20.
Katrina Raskie (So.-Weston, Wis./D.C. Everest) led three Blugolds in double figures in kills with 15 while Talia Jaskulske (Fr.-Maplewood, Minn./North St. Paul) led the match with a career-high 24 digs. Jenna Smits (Jr.-Green Bay, Wis./Preble) had a match-high 47 set assists.
Against Saint Mary's, the Blugolds won the opening set 25-21 before falling 25-22 in the second set. They then won the following sets 25-17 and 25-16 to win the match.
Eau Claire trailed early in set one but came back and took the lead for good at 16-15. The Cardinals closed the gap to just two points (20-18) but that was as close as they would get.
In the second set, the Blugolds led 4-2 but after a 4-0 run by Saint Mary's to get up 6-4, the Blugolds never led again. Eau Claire trailed by seven (20-13) and while they got back to within two at 20-18 and 24-22, Saint Mary's score the final point to get the win.
But in the final two sets, the Blugolds never trailed in either as they were able to get the wins.
Eau Claire led the match, hitting .250 compared to .138 for Saint Mary's. The Blugolds also tallied 58 kills with 19 errors while the Cardinals had 46 and 23, respectively.
Alexis Wong (Sr.-Maple Grove, Minn.) and Raskie led the Blugolds with 13 kills apiece while Raskie and Jamie Dimka (Jr.-Wausau, Wis./East) led the team with 16 digs each. Smits had 48 set assists to lead the match.
Eau Claire is now 13-13 overall.
The Blugolds will be back in action tomorrow, taking on 21st-ranked Millikin University (Ill.) at 12:15 p.m., followed by a match against St. Scholastica (Minn.) at 5 p.m.
-KAM-
