EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) - Opening the 2009 conference season, the UW-Eau Claire volleyball team could not find a rhythm and fell to UW-Platteville 3-0 tonight in the McPhee Physical Education Center.

The 13th-ranked Blugolds (9-2, 0-1 WIAC) played a close first set against the Pioneers (4-5, 1-1 WIAC) and got up 10-7 before Platteville closed the gap. With the Pioneers scoring the next four points, they took the 11-10 lead and the teams continued to battle but Platteville eventually came out on top 25-23.

Eau Claire could not get anything going in the second set and let the Pioneers get up 16-10 halfway through the set. Platteville took that set 25-18.

In the third set, the Blugolds found themselves up 14-9 at one point, but the Pioneers then turned the pressure up and outscored the Blugolds 15-6 to take the 24-20 lead. Eau Claire scored twice more before Platteville came away with the 25-22 win.

Platteville recorded 41 kills and a .196 hitting percentage while the Blugolds finished with 33 kills and a hitting percentage of .139.

Liz Amici (So.-Whitewater, Wis.) had a team-high eight kills for Eau Claire while Rachel Ver Voort (Jr.-Madison, Wis./Middleton) and Danielle Lucia (Jr.-St. Cloud, Minn./Apollo) both added seven. Platteville's Melissa Hillebrand led the match with 12.

Amanda Lessner (Jr.-Watertown, Wis.) finished the night with 21 assists to lead Eau Claire. Lindsey Smith (Sr.-Maple Lake, Minn.) and Ver Voort each had six digs to lead the Blugolds while Smith also had a match-high two service aces.

The Blugolds will be back at home tomorrow for another conference match. Action against UW-La Crosse will get underway at noon in McPhee.