MINNEAPOLIS, MN (blugolds.com) – The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire volleyball team looked to bounce back on Saturday after splitting the first day of the Augsburg Invitational on Friday. As the #5 Blugolds faced Minnesota-Morris and #17 ranked Gustavus-Adolphus, Eau Claire finished with split decisions games once again as they swept Morris, 3-0, and fell to Gustavus, 3-1.
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
A consistent mix of offense and defense in game one is exactly what the Blugolds needed after suffering their second loss of the season the night before. Arianna Barrett (Sr. – Lakeville, MN/North) continued her stellar season as the Blugolds' leading attacker by tallying a game high 12 kills on 21 attempts. Jordan Witzel (Sr. – Woodbury, MN/East Ridge) was close behind with nine kills of her own to start the day.
As the offense flew high, the defense stood strong allowing only 22 kills and posting ten total team blocks to keep Minnesota-Morris at bay in the 3-0 victory. Maren Saunders (Sr. – St. Michael, MN/St. Michael-Albertville) and Hannah Flottmeyer (Sr. – Madison, WI/Middleton) combined for five solo blocks and three block assists from the net.
Game two held an AVCA.org top-25 matchup with the #5 Blugolds battling the #17 Gustavus Golden Gusties. The first set saw both sides compiling multipoint runs at separate instances of the frame. UWEC put together a seven-point run to pull out to a 10-5 lead. Jordan Witzel (Sr. – Woodbury, MN/East Ridge) recorded three of her six kills during the run to tilt the momentum in favor of Eau Claire. Witzel finished the contest with a season high 15 kills. A late six-point rally by the Gusties closed out the first set, 25-19, in favor of Gustavus.
The second set found Eau Claire down early, but a four-point run for the Blugolds tied things at 7-7. Victoria Van Dan (So. – Burlington, WI) recorded back-to-back service aces midway through the set to put UWEC in front 13-12. The lead was never surrendered to the other side as Arianna Barrett (Sr. – Lakeville, MN/North) sealed the set win with her ninth kill of the game to tie it at one set a side. Barrett led the Blugolds once again with 17 total kills.
The third and fourth sets went in favor of the opposition, but Eau Claire never fought all the way to the end. MacKenzie Houser (Jr. – Pleasant Plains, IL) and Sheridan Dettmann (Sr. – Watertown, WI) combined for four service aces and 12 digs in the final two sets to hold their support from the back row. Charlie Nelson (Jr. – Lakeville, MN/Farmington) finished the game with 36 assists and 19 digs herself. With the Gusties at match point in the fourth set at 24-18, the Blugolds rallied for seven points to tie the game at 24-24. Gustavus would close the door on any fifth set opportunity with the final two kills of the game and hand Eau Claire their third loss of the year, 3-1.
The Blugolds (4-3, WIAC 0-0) will return to Wisconsin and begin Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) play on Wednesday, September 14th when they travel to UW-Platteville to face the Pioneers. First serve is scheduled for 7PM.
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