EAU CLAIRE -- UW-Eau Claire preserved their perfect record in the second day of the UW-Eau Claire Labor Day Tournament by handily defeating Lawrence University and just beating St. Benedict of Minnesota.

With a .619 hitting percentage, the Blugolds defeated the Vikings 30-17 in the first game. The home team followed that up with another solid performance with a 30-9 win. The hitting fell off to a .148 average, but the Blugolds still won 30-15. Jenny Wolter (Sr.-Osceola) led the team with 11 kills, while Carly Freiborg (Jr.-Sacred Heart, MN/Renville County West) contributed 35 assists.

The title match of the day proved to be an exciting one versus the also-unbeaten St. Benedict Blazers. Eau Claire won the first two matches 30-17 and 30-28, respectively. The surging Blazers came back to win the next two games 30-18 and 30-27. The final decisive match was a close 15-13 nail-biter with Eau Claire winning on a long serve by St. Benedict.

Molly Menard (Sr.-Eau Claire/Memorial) led all players with 22 kills. Wolter had 16 kills and 7 block assists, as well as the clinching point in the nerve-racking second game. Carly Freiborg had another huge game with 55 assists and 13 digs. Shanna Berger (Jr.-Baldwin, WI/Baldwin-Woodville) tallied 12 digs.

The Blugolds were the only undefeated team of the weekend while UW-Stout and St. Benedict were 3-1. Hamline finished 2-2 with Lawrence and UM-Morris both ending the weekend 0-4.

On the All-Tournament Team for the Blugolds were Freiborg, Menard and Wolter. Laura Zwach and Emily Stessman of St. Benedict, Rachel Linbo of UW-Stout, Angie Asmus of Hamline and Alicia Onisawa of Lawrence were also named to the All-Tournament Team.

The Blugolds will next take the court September 9-10 at the Augsburg Tournament in Minneapolis.