PLATTEVILLE - The UW-Eau Claire women's volleyball team earned yet another victory over a ranked conference opponent, topping No. 8 UW-Platteville 3-2 here tonight at the Williams Fieldhouse.

The win improves the Blugolds to 15-3 overall and 4-1 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference while the Pioneers fall to 13-2 for the season and 4-2 in WIAC action. With the victory, the Blugolds are now in first place by themselves in the conference, one-half game ahead of Whitewater. The Blugolds have now topped three ranked teams this season, defeating then 8th-ranked Whitewater on September 17 and No. 14 River Falls in the championship match of the Lisa Siegenthaler Memorial Tournament on September 25.

The Pioneers came out strong and won the first game by a score of 30-18. The Blugolds responded with a 30-25 win in game two despite hitting just .057 for the game. Eau Claire went ahead two games to one with a 30-24 win in game three but the Pioneers forced a fifth game with a 30-23 win in game four. Eau Claire put Platteville away with a 15-10 win in the fifth and deciding game.

Jenny Wolter (Jr.-Osceola) led the Blugolds with 10 kills while also recording six block assists. Jodi Dunbar (So.-Platteville) contributed nine kills while Becca Carstensen (Sr.-Eau Claire/Memorial) and Molly Menard (Jr.-Eau Claire/Memorial) each tallied eight kills. Carstensen added two solo blocks and five block assists in the victory. Menard tallied eight defensive digs to go along with her eight kills.

The Blugolds were a force at the net, tallying 28 total blocks. Jessica Groh (So.-Eau Claire/North) led the team with nine blocks.

Carly Freiborg (So.-Sacred Heart, MN/Renville County West) totaled 36 set assists in the match while Shanna Berger (So.-Baldwin/Baldwin-Woodville) recorded 18 defensive digs.

Eau Claire was able to capitalize on many Pioneer errors, as Platteville committed 38 attack errors and 12 more service errors. The Blugolds were on the attack when serving as they pounded out 10 service aces.

The Blugolds will be back in action tomorrow when they travel to La Crosse to battle the 14th-ranked Eagles. The match is set to begin at 2:00 p.m.

Eau Claire-Platteville Match Statistics

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