WHITEWATER, Wis. (blugolds.com) – The No. 14 ranked University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire volleyball team concluded their Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) regular season schedule on Friday with a road game to face off against the no. 10 ranked UW-Whitewater. Despite recording 40 kills and 7 team blocks, the Blugolds suffered a 3-0 loss to the Warhawks.
With WIAC postseason implications for both teams, the Blugolds and Warhawks went back and forth in the opening set. Eau Claire started fast with a 4-0 run that contained two kills by Arianna Barrett (Sr. – Lakeville, MN/North). Whtiewater answered with a 6-1 run of their own to take a 6-5 lead. Both squads combined for 11 tie scores and 7 lead changes to start the game. UWEC gave themselves a five-point lead halfway through the set after a 7-0 run. Charlie Nelson (Jr. – Lakeville, MN/Farmington) one service ace and five assists during the run to put the Blugolds up 17-12. Nelson collected 12 of her 32 total assists in the opening set.
A pair of four-point runs by the Warhawks closed the deficit and found the teams tied at 23-23. UWW tallied three of the of the last four kills to take set 1, 26-24.
The second set began with a Whitewater 10-3 run, giving UWEC a seven-point deficit that was never conquered. Eau Claire found trouble at the net as eight of their ten total attacking errors came in the second set. Selena Levendoski (Sr. – Clear Lake, WI/Clayton) led the offense with five of UWEC ten kills in the middle frame. The Warhawks closed out the set 25-18 to take a 2-0 lead.
In the third, Levendoski gathered back-to-back kills to give Eau Claire a 2-0 start. Levendoski finished the evening with nine kills. Five tie scores in the next 12 points kept the intensity high for both sides. An 8-2 run by the Blugolds created separation between the teams as UWEC took a 16-10 lead. The Warhawks answered once again with two runs of their own as game point approached. Both sides traded points four times as the set came to an end. After a tie score at 23-23, UWW found back-to-back kills to give the Blugolds their third conference loss on the year, 3-0.
Maren Saunders (Sr. – St. Michael, MN/St. Michael-Albertville) led the defense with two solo blocks and two block assists. Hannah Flottmeyer (Sr. – Madison, WI/Middleton), and Arianna Barrett each recorded three block assists each.
The Blugolds (21-7, WIAC 4-3) will complete their regular season schedule on Saturday, October 29th when they face non-conference opponent Concordia University (Wis.). First serve is set for 2PM.
Follow the Blugolds all season long at Blugold Game Day or on our app, UWEC Blugolds.