RIVER FALLS - The UW-Eau Claire volleyball team had their poorest hitting performance of the year for the second consecutive match in losing 3-1 to UW-River Falls here tonight at the Karges Center.

The Blugolds started off the match strong defeating the Falcons 30-23 in the opening game. Eau Claire converted on 16 of 35 attacks for a .286 hitting percentage. The Blugold defense held River Falls to just a .080 hitting percentage in the win.

The Blugold offense then steadily declined while the Falcon's went up. Eau Claire had just eight kills in the second game but the defense kept them in the game holding River Falls to a .118 hitting percentage. The Falcons pulled away in the win evening the game score at 1-1 with a 30-27 win.

The River Falls offense broke out in the next two games. The Falcons hit .296 in winning the third game 30-24 while holding Eau Claire to a .033 hitting percentage. River Falls won the deciding game 30-22 hitting .321 and holding the Blugolds to a -.031 hitting percentage.

Becca Carstensen (Sr.-Eau Claire/Memorial) led Eau Claire with 10 kills while Carly Freiborg (So.-Sacred Heart, MN/Renville County West) led in assists with 37. Shanna Berger (So.-Baldwin/Baldwin-Woodville) led in digs with 18 with Carstensen and Jessica Groh (So.-Eau Claire/North) each contributing five blocks.

The loss drop the Blugolds to 4-4 in conference and 17-8 overall. River Falls improves to 5-3 in conference action and 19-7 overall.

Eau Claire will be in action next when they host St. Scholastica Tuesday at the McPhee Phy. Ed. Center. The match is set to begin at 7 p.m.

Eau Claire-River Falls Match Statistics

- JL -