CLAREMONT, Calif. (Blugolds.com) – The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire women's volleyball team began their 2023 season on the West Coast on Friday evening as they played their first game of the Pacific Coast Classic. UW-Eau Claire started the year on a high note as eight Blugolds made their UWEC debut during a three-set sweep of Whittier College.
The opening set featured an even matchup between the Blugolds and the Poets as both sides hit above .320% and recorded 13+ kills. UWEC found themselves with an early deficit in the opening set but kept up with Whittier as they never trailed by more than four points. A 7-2 run late in the set flipped the script in favor of the Blugolds as
Mya Cinnamo (Fr. – Rosemount, Minn.) first career kill gave Eau Claire their first lead of the match at 18-17. From there, the two teams went back and forth down to the wire before the Poets committed a service error, giving the Blugolds the 25-23 set one victory.
The second was won from the service line as UW-Eau Claire recorded seven total service aces and Whittier committed three services errors for ten total points not needing a rally. A five-point run by UWEC halfway through the set with kills from
Bailey Leeke (So. – Lakeville, Minn./North), Lilli Hagg (Fr. – Roscoe, Ill./Hononegah), and
Darienne Andre (So. – Lakeville, Minn./Rosemount) extended their lead 10-5 and forced a Whittier timeout. Andre and Leeke lead the Blugolds all game with eight kills each.
Ella Kiebel (So. – Maple Lake, Minn.) added on to the lead after the break with three service aces and an assist to push the lead to 14-5. The Blugolds would continue to cruise as they pushed their lead to 22-8 with kills from
Abigail Wherland (So. – Lakeville, Minn./North) and Lilli Hagg. In her first collegiate game, Hagg finished the match with seven total kills.
Sheridan Dettmann (Sr. – Watertown, Wis.) sealed the 25-16 second set win with her third service ace of the night, Dettmann and Kiebel led Eau Claire from the service line all night with four aces each.
The final set held a tight battle in the beginning as both sides traded the first ten points. UW-Eau Claire found their grove after the 5-5 tie and rode their momentum to the end multiple runs strung together. The Blugolds recorded 15 kills and three blocks while posting a .351% hitting average to cap off their impressive performance with a 25-14 victory to complete the sweep.
Sophia Brown (Jr. – Colgate, Wis./Germantown) finished the night with a team high five blocks.
Charlie Nelson (Sr. – Lakeville, Minn./Farmington) and
Ella Kiebel combined for 34 assists with Nelson leading the match with 18 individually.
The Blugolds (1-0) will continue Pacific Coast Classic play on Saturday with games against the two host schools, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps and Pomona Pitzer. UWEC will face #3 ranked CMS at 12:45 p.m. (PST) / 2:45 p.m. (CST) and then will take on the Sagehens of Pomona at 5:30 p.m. (PST) / 7:30 p.m. (CST).
