By: Jake Krier, UWEC Sports Information
EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (blugolds.com) - On the team's Senior Night, the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire volleyball team went to five sets against St. Norbert College. Unfortunately for the home squad, they were unable to get the victory on the night set aside to honor their seniors.
Eau Claire won set one 25-20, but two-point losses in sets two and three (25-23 and 26-24) set them behind. It seemed as though the Blugolds figured things out in set four, dominating it 25-12. However, momentum did not stay on their side for long. The Green Knights jumped out to a 7-2 lead in the fifth and final set and cruised from there. They finished off Eau Claire 15-8 to get the win.
Despite outgunning St. Norbert .297 to .237 in team attacking percentage, it just was not the Blugolds' night.
Contributing to that attacking efficiency were a few players in particular. Madelyn Pashibin (Jr.-Minneapolis, MN/Minneapolis Southwest) added to her team-leading kill numbers on the year with 24 more on 42 attempts. She is quickly approaching 300 on the season, now at 295. Right behind her was Jessica Coyne (Jr.-Verona, WI) with 23 putaways on 49 attempts.
Madison Surprise (Jr.-Appleton, WI/Kimberly) put up an impressive 63 set assists on the night, while Talia Jaskulske (Sr.-Maplewood, MN/North St. Paul) led the team in digs with 24.
The three seniors honored on Tuesday were Jaskulske, Emily Miller (Sr.-Prior Lake, MN), and Mackenzee Pierog (Sr.-Eau Claire, WI/North). They will lead the Blugolds in their next contests which take place on Saturday at the UW-Oshkosh Invitational. Eau Claire faces Bates at 11:30 a.m. and Illinois Wesleyan at 3:30 p.m.
Follow the action all season long on Blugold Game Day.
