EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – After a close first set and falling in the second set, the UW-Eau Claire volleyball team won the final two sets to defeat UW-Superior 3-1 in the Blugolds' first conference match of the 2013 season in the McPhee Physical Education Center tonight.
The first set was closely contested and neither team could get too far ahead of the other in the end. After a back and forth battle, Eau Claire finally pulled away to win the set 32-30.
The Yellowjackets carried the momentum into the second set and while the Blugolds scored first, Superior eventually worked its way to a 25-22 win. But Eau Claire then handed Superior a 25-12 loss in the third set to go up 2-1. In the third set, the Blugolds never trailed the entire way. Eau Claire led 17-8 at one point and then used a six-point run to get up 23-9 before winning by 13.
In the fourth set, it was close early but the Blugolds again never trailed and went on to win 25-19.
For the 11th straight match, Kelly Schuh (Sr.-Appleton, Wis./Hortonville) led the Blugolds in kills with 15 while three others reached double figures to help the Blugolds to a team total of 62. Eau Claire outhit Superior .262-.131 and the Yellowjackets finished with 47 kills.
Lauren Sutherland (Sr.-Dayton, Minn./Meadow Creek Christian) led the match with 35 digs and Jenna Smits (So.-Green Bay, Wis./Preble) had a team-high 29 set assists while Maggie Holcombe (Fr.-Shakopee, Minn.) finished with 21.
As a team, the Blugolds came away with 12 blocks to just four for the Yellowjackets.
Eau Claire is now 8-6 overall and 1-0 in conference play while the Yellowjackets fall to 10-4 on the season and 0-2 in the WIAC.
The Blugolds will be home again next Wednesday to face UW-River Falls. Action will get underway at 7 p.m. and it will be Faculty/Staff Appreciation Night.
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