MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (Blugolds.com) – The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire women's volleyball team traveled West to Minnesota on Saturday for two games on Saturday at the Auggie Invite hosted by Augsburg University. UW-Eau Claire fought hard all day as they fell short to #18 ranked Gustavus Adolphus College, 3-2, and defeated Wartburg College, 3-1.
The opening game of the day featured a rematch of the 2022 NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball first round as the Blugolds and Gusties battled on neutral ground. Gustavus kept Eau Claire at peace in the opening two sets as the Blugolds hit under .100 averages and were kept under 20 points. With their backs against the wall, UWEC switched the momentum in the third set as
Selena Levendoski (Sr. - ) and
Mya Cinnamo (Fr. – Rosemount, Minn.) found their footing and recorded five kills each. Cinnamo sealed the 25-21 set with with two kills for the final two points to give Eau Claire new life.
The fourth set held that same tenasity by the Blugolds as Levendoski and
Makina Larson (Fr. - Carver, Minn./Chaska) led the Blugolds with four kills apiece. Eau Claire strung multiple runs together throughout the set to extend their lead to as much as four points as they continued to ride their lead late into the set. After a Gustie timeout at 18-15, the Blugolds kept their opponents at length, tallying seven of the final thirteen points to force a fifth set tiebreaker.
In the fifth set, both teams traded points early, finding themselves locked at 4-4. #18 ranked Gustavus found the upper hand moments later with a 4-1 run, forcing Eau Claire to use a timeout. The Blugolds found their points in between Gustavus' runs as the Gusties ultimately defeated UWEC 15-11 to take the match 3-2.
The second game of the day pitted familiar foes against one another as UW-Eau Claire and Wartburg met for the third time in a row at the Auggie Invite. The last meeting between the Knights and the Blugolds came in 2021 where UWEC suffered a 3-0 defeat. Saturday would be a different story as
Bailey Leeke (So. – Lakeville, Minn./North) and
Avery Pennekamp (So. – McFarland, Wis.) combined for 24 of Eau Claire 54 kills. Pennekamp started things off fast with five kills in the first set, including the first point for a lead that would never be caught.
Charlie Nelson (Sr. – Lakeville, Minn./Farmington) and
Ella Kiebel (So. – Maple Lake, Minn.) shared setting duties once again as the dynamic duo combined for 13 of their 46 assists in the opening set. The setters currently hold the third best assist per set average in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) with a team mean of 12.09.
After the 24-15 first set victory, the game balanced out as the second set held a tie score ten times during the 45 points scored. The Blugolds closed out the frame with a 10-5 from a tie at 15-15 to give themselves a 2-0 set lead. Six Blugolds tallied multiple kills in the second set. Nelson, Levendoski, and Kiebel all recorded services aces during the set to give Eau Claire the advantage. The third set found Eau Claire with a chance to close out the game late, but a 5-1 run by the Knights spoiled the Blugolds chances at a straight sweep as both teams headed to the fourth.
Bailey Leeke tallied five of her fourteen total kills in the third despite coming up on the short end of the team score.
The fourth set kept the fans in Si Melby Hall on the edge of their seats as Wartburg came out firing with a 16-1 lead. Despite the 15-point deficit against them, Eau Claire limited their mistakes and found their rhythm to pull things back in their favor. A 13-4 run by the Blugolds halfway through the set brought the deficit down to just six points as Wartburg took their final timeout to disrupt any momentum. Multiple aces from
Abigail Wherland (So. – Lakeville, Minn./North) and kills by Pennekamp kept the Blugold rolling. The timeout went in favor of the Blugolds, and they stormed out to a 6-2 run to bring the score to 20-22 with the end of the set nearing for both sides. A Blugold timeout calmed the nerves for UWEC as
Lili Hagg (Fr. – Roscoe, Ill./Hononegah) and
Izzy Grace (Fr. – Green Bay, Wis./Bay Port) collected kills of their own to complement Wartburg errors, giving UWEC the 24-23 match point.
Bailey Leeke finalized the comeback with authority on her 14
th kill of the match to give Eau Claire their third victory of the year.
The Blugolds (3-3, WIAC 0-0) will continue nonconference play on Wednesday, September 13
th during their home opener against Bethel University. First serve from the McPhee Physical Education Center Gymnasium is scheduled for 7 p.m.
