Women's Volleyball | 9/2/2023 10:20:00 PM

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 CLAREMONT, Calif. (Blugolds.com) – The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire women's volleyball team continued play in the Pacific Coast Classic on with matches against the #3 ranked Claremont-Mudd-Scrips Athenas and the Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens. Despite taking the opening set against the #3 Athenas to open the day, the Blugolds fell to Claremont and Pomona to close out the Pacific Coast Classic.
 
In the opening game of the Saturday slate, UW-Eau Claire came out firing against the Athenas as they put together an 8-2 run to take the first set 25-21 against the host squad. Bailey Leeke (So. – Lakeville, Minn./North) and Avery Pennekamp (So. – McFarland, Wis.) combined for seven kills in the first set. The offensive duo combined for 16 kills as they led the Blugolds with eight each during the contest.
 
The opening set victory was matched by Claremont the next set as the Blugolds fell 18-25. The third set went back and forth between the two ranked squads. Early on, UWEC rattled off a five-point run to earn a 5-2 lead. The Athenas matched that with an 8-1 run to put Eau Claire down 7-11. UWEC was unable to catch the #3 ranked hosts as they fell in the third set, 21-25. Darienne Andre (So. – Lakeville, Minn./Rosemount) and Lilli Hagg (Fr. – Roscoe, Ill./Hononegah) led the Blugolds in blocks with four each.
 
The fourth set went in favor of the hosts as Eau Claire recorded just five kills and hit at a rate of .071. Two separate five-point runs by Claremont put the lead too far in front of UWEC as they dropped their first match of the season, 1-3.
 
The second game of the day pitted the Blugolds against the other host school, Pomona-Pitzer. Bailey Leek and Avery Pennekamp again led the offense with eight kills each. Mya Cinnamo (Fr. – Rosemount, Minn.) was close behind with a season high seven kills. The opening set featured three lead changes and seven tie scores as both teams looked to close out the tournament with a win. A mid-game run of five by the Sagehens reversed the lead and put UWEC down by two. The Blugolds answered with a kill by Pennekamp and a service ace by Lilli Hagg to even the score at 14-14. Late in the set, Eau Claire closed a five-point gap with kills from Leeke and Pennekamp to come within one point, but Pomona traded the following three points to win the set 23-25.
 
The second and third sets did not go in UW-Eau Claire's favor as they hit below .110 in both frames. The Sagehens capitalized with five blocks combined in the final sets, taking control of the net.  A 5-2 run in the middle of the third set gave the Blugolds an 11-10 lead, but Pomona-Pitzer would outscore UWEC 15-9 to close the set and give the Blugolds their second loss of the season.
 
Sheridan Dettman (Sr. – Watertown, Wis.) was named to the Pacific Coast All-Tournament team as she recorded 51 digs, eight assists, and six service aces during the three games.
 
The Blugolds (1-2, WIAC 0-0) will return to the Midwest and continue their nonconference schedule on Wednesday, September 6^th when they travel to the College of Saint Benedict. First serve is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.