EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire women's volleyball team jumped back into Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) play on Friday evening as they hosted #8 ranked UW-Whitewater. Both teams found their ebbs and flows throughout the night as a fifth set tiebreaker was needed to decide the victor. Despite a fast-opening set and a fourth set comeback, UW-Eau Claire fell to the UWW Warhawks 3-2.
Behind a crowd of 450+, the Blugolds controlled the opening set from the first serve as UWEC went on a 11-5 to begin the contest.
Darienne Andre (So. – Lakeville, Minn./Rosemount) led the Eau Claire offense in the first set with four of her eight total kills.
Sheridan Dettmann (Sr. – Watertown, Wis.) and
Ella Kiebel (So. – Maple Lake, Minn.) held strong on the defensive side as they combined for 10 of Eau Claire's 23 digs in the opening frame. The Blugolds continued to control the game in set one as they held their six-point lead to the #8 Warhawks halfway through the set, forcing another UWW timeout at 18-12. The ranked visitors never backed down as the two teams found themselves deadlocked at 22-22 late in the set. A sneaky dump from
Charlie Nelson (Sr. – Lakeville, Minn./Farmington) and a shot down the middle from
Dorci Walker (Fr. – Marshfield, Wis./Columbus Catholic) sealed the opening set victory for UWEC, 25-23.
The second set began in similar fashion for Eau Claire as the Blugolds jumped out to a 12-5 lead.
Dorci Walker kept the offense rolling as she collected six of her team high 14 kills in set 2.
Charlie Nelson kept the hitters busy with five of her 24 assists in the second frame. The Warhawks switched the tides of the game halfway through the set with a six-point run, bringing the deficit to 12-11. Despite runs by the Blugolds, a late 6-3 run for UWW evened the game at 1-1.
In the third, both teams combined for ten ties scores and two lead changes as each side looked for the upper hand. UW-Eau Claire found themselves an 8-3 run of their own halfway through the set to gain a 14-9 lead. The #8 Warhawks answered yet again with a five-point run to tie it at 14-14. Both squads traded points down the stretch as the scoreboard showed 19-19 late in the frame. Attacking errors and kills by UWW led the visitors to outscore UWEC 6-2 to finish the third and take a 2-1 set lead.
The fourth set brought life back into the McPhee gym for UW-Eau Claire as the Blugolds battled hard to stay alive. Eau Claire found themselves with an early deficit that lasted almost the entire frame. With their back against the wall at match point, the Blugolds rallied together for a late five-point run to earn a 26-24 set win and force a fifth set. A big solo block from
Darienne Andre at 24-24 lit up the McPhee Gym as the Blugolds took their first lead.
Bailey Leeke sealed the deal with her 10
th kill of the night through the Whitewater block to tie the game at 2-2.
In the fifth, the Blugolds found themselves on the wrong side of the ball as the opposition posted four blocks and only two errors. UW-Eau Claire's rally fizzled out as the Warhawks sealed the 3-2 conference victory with a 15-8 tiebreaker win.
The Blugolds (8-8, WIAC 1-2) will have a quick turn around as they travel to Minneapolis, Minn. for a doubleheader against Augsburg University and St. Olaf. Game one from Si Melby Hall is set for 4 p.m.
