KENOSHA, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – The UW-Eau Claire volleyball team opened with a win on the final day of the Carthage College Tournament, but fell in the late match to complete the weekend with a 1-3 record. Eau Claire beat Alma College (Mich.) 3-1 to start the day and then lost 3-0 to the University of Chicago (Ill.).
Against Alma, the Blugolds dropped the opening set 25-22 but recovered to win the next three, 25-14, 25-23, 25-22.
The first set was close the entire time but after a 22-22 tie, the 10th tie of the set, Alma scored the last three points for the win.
The second set was again close but after the score was 16-12 in favor of Eau Claire, the Blugolds held Alma to just two more points as they scored nine.
Alma opened the third set with a 3-0 run but the Blugolds got back into it and tied it up 8-8. The teams again went back and forth and after a 23-23 tie, the Blugolds were able to score the final two points.
The teams kept it close in the fourth set but after a 16-16 tie, the Blugolds never trailed the rest of the way.
The Blugolds led the match hitting .299. Alexis Wong (Sr.-Maple Grove, Minn.) and Katrina Raskie (So.-Weston, Wis./D.C. Everest) each finished with 12 kills to lead the team while Raskie and Talia Jaskulske (Fr.-Maplewood, Minn./North St. Paul) each had 14 digs to lead the Blugolds. Jenna Smits (Jr.-Green Bay, Wis./Preble) tied for a match-high with 41 set assists.
Facing Chicago, the Maroons won with scores of 25-19, 26-24 and 25-20.
In the first set, Chicago jumped out to a 6-0 lead and never trailed the rest of the way. Late in the set, the Blugolds used a 5-0 run to close within two but that was as close as they would get.
The second set was much closer. The Blugolds worked their way to a 6-3 lead after a 5-0 run and never trailed until late in the set when Chicago used a 5-0 run to get up 20-17. The teams played close the rest of the way but Chicago scored the final two points for the win.
Eau Claire started with a 1-0 lead in the third set but Chicago scored three straight and never trailed the rest of the way.
Megan Tracy (Sr.-New Hope, Minn./Robbinsdale Cooper) led the Blugolds with nine kills as the team finished with 38. Raskie again led the digs total with 15 and Smits finished with 32 set assists.
The Blugolds fall to 5-8 on the season.
Next weekend the Blugolds will be home for the first time this season for the Sandy Schumacher Memorial Tournament. They will play two matches Friday and two Saturday, opening against the University of St. Thomas (Minn.) at 3 p.m. Friday.
-KAM-
