EAU CLAIRE, WI (blugolds.com) – The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire volleyball team returned to Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) play on Wednesday as they hosted the UW-Stout Blue Devils in the McPhee Gymnasium. The #13 ranked UW-Eau Claire Blugolds came out with fire and passion to secure the 3-0 home sweep.
Eau Claire capitalized from the service line early as Sheridan Dettmann (Sr. – Watertown, WI) and Victoria Van Dan (So. – Burlington, WI) recorded two service aces each in the first set. As a team, UWEC tallied six of their nine total aces in the first set. An early four-point run by the Blugolds shifted the lead in their favor for the remainder of the first set. MacKenzie Houser (Jr. – Pleasant Plains, IL) held down the defense with five of the ten total digs in the first set to keep Stout from reaching the Blugold lead. Arianna Barrett (Sr. – Lakeville, MN/North) sealed the 25-19 set victory with her third kill of the evening to give Eau Claire the 1-0 advantage.
The second set held a true WIAC match as both teams combined for seven tie scores and five lead changes. Halfway through the frame, the Blue Devils put together an 8-0 run and pulled ahead past the Blugolds, 14-10. Eau Claire refused to back down and increased their energy with multiple runs late to earn themselves the 25-21 set win and a 2-0 lead. Barrett and Jordan Witzel (Sr. – Woodbury, MN/East Ridge) both recorded three kills each while leading the Blugold offense.
The final set found back and forth scoring early on to find three tie scores. Charlie Nelson (Jr. – Lakeville, MN/Farmington) broke the 3-3 tie with her fourth kill of the evening to start the UWEC attack. The rattled off a five-point run to gain the 7-3 lead. Later in the set, Hanne Johnson (Fr. – Grantsburg, WI) found back-to-back kills to increase the Eau Claire lead to 11 points. Abby Frie (Fr. – Minneota, MN) sealed the third set victory with her first career solo block as a Blugold to defeat Stout 3-0 on the evening.
The Blugolds (14-4, WIAC 4-0) will head back on the road on Saturday, October 8th as they take part in the Elmhurst Triangular. UWEC will face the University of Chicago at 12PM and Elmhurst College at 2PM.
Follow the Blugolds all season long at Blugold Game Day or on our app, UWEC Blugolds.
