MORRIS, Minn. (Blugolds.com) – The UW-Eau Claire women's volleyball team came up short to the University of Minnesota-Morris, 3-1, today at the P.E. Center.
Morris opened the match with 25-14 victory but the Blugolds followed that with a 25-22 win. In a very close third set, the Cougars came out on top 29-27 and followed that with a 25-21 win to claim the match.
In set one, the Blugolds trailed the entire way. After being down by just four (15-11), the Blugolds scored just three points the rest of the way as Morris won by 11.
In the next set, Eau Claire never trailed. The Blugolds got out to a 15-7 advantage but Morris closed the gap with a 5-0 run. Eau Claire kept its lead the rest of the way, getting up by as many as six points and never allowing Morris to get any closer than two.
In the third set, the Blugolds came from behind and used a 4-0 run to get up 24-23. But Morris tied it up and then the teams played back and forth before the Cougars won 29-27.
The teams played close early in the fourth set but Morris eventually worked its way to a 24-17 lead. But the Blugolds put up a fight at the end, scoring four straight to get back to within three. Morris was able to score the final point to get the win, however.
Morris led the match with a hitting percentage of .167 with 54 kills and 23 errors while the Blugolds hit .133 with 44 kills and 21 errors.
Katrina Raskie (So.-Weston, Wis./D.C. Everest) tied for a match high with 15 kills while Alexis Wong (Sr.-Maple Grove, Minn.) contributed 14. Jenna Smits (Jr.-Green Bay, Wis./Preble) had 34 set assists to lead the match and Talia Jaskulske (Fr.-Maplewood, Minn./North St. Paul) recorded 26 digs to lead the Blugolds.
Eau Claire is now 15-15 on the season while Morris improves to 19-10.
The Blugolds will have three conference matches left, all at home, to end the regular season. The first is set for Wednesday against UW-Stout in Zorn Arena at 7 p.m. for the Blugolds' Cancer Awareness/Team Night.
-KAM-
