CEDAR RAPIDS, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire women's volleyball team traveled South on Saturday for two nonconference matchups. As the Blugolds took a break from Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) play for a trip down to Iowa, the competition didn't waiver with teams looking to gain ground in the regional rankings. Dorci Walker (Fr. - Marshfield, Wis./Columbus Catholic) led the Blugold offense to an upset win over the #23 Cornell and a sweep over Coe with 26 kills in seven sets.       
 
The opening contest between UW-Eau Claire and the #23 ranked Cornell Rams began in Eau Claire's favor as they jumped out to a 7-3 lead in the first set. MacKenzie Houser (Sr. – Pleasant Plains, Ill.) recorded two of her three total service aces during the opening run for UWEC, putting distance between them and their ranked opponents. Lilli Hagg (Fr. – Roscoe, Ill./Hononegah) added two kills during the strong start as she led the Blugolds with four kills in the first set. In the middle of the opening frame, the Blugolds created more separation with a 6-1 run to extend their lead to 21-12. A late push by Rams was held short by Cornell errors and a kill by Avery Pennekamp (So. – McFarland, Wis.) as UW-Eau Claire won the first set, 25-16.
Dorci Walker (Fr. – Marshfield, Wis./Columbus Catholic) posted a career high 14 kills in the opening contest with a team high four kills in the second set. Despite falling 25-15 in the second frame, the Blugolds stormed out into the third set with their highest offense in high gear as they had their most successful attacking set of the game to retake the lead. Walker and Pennekamp each recorded three kills a piece in the third, but Bailey Leeke (So. – Lakeville, Minn./North) led in the frame Blugolds with five of her six total kills. Pennekamp once again came up clutch late in the set as she recorded two of the final three points, earning UWEC the 25-21 win.
 
In the fourth and final set, the Eau Claire defense shut the door on the #23 ranked Rams as the Blugolds recorded eight total block assists. Darienne Andre and Lilli Hagg led the defensive stand with five combined assisted blocks and the back row was stellar with 19 perfect receptions. Despite an early deficit, Charlie Neslson (Sr. – Lakeville, Minn./Farmington) and company kept the momentum on their side and retook the lead with a 6-0 capped off with a kill from Dorci Walker given by Nelson. Charlie finished the first game with 15 assists. Her setting duo, Ella Kiebel (So. – Maple Lake, Minn.), recorded 16 assists as the pairing dished out set to the Blugold attackers at a 27.7% kill rate. As she did in sets one and three, Avery Pennekamp sealed the 25-20 set win in the fourth with her eighth kills of the contest to complete the UWEC upset over #23 ranked Cornell.
 
The second game of the day took the Blugolds 20 minutes west to face off with Coe College. The Blugolds began their second game of the day right where left off in the first with the offense on cruise control. A 12-8 lead to begin the match was complemented by Avery Pennekamp who was targeted 15 times on serves to open the match and passed at a 1.000% rate. The Blugold lead waivered only once at 13-13 but was quickly retaken and extended on kills from Darienne Andre and Lilli Hagg. Walker closed out the 25-21 first set victory for Eau Claire with her sixth kill of the contest.
 
The middle saw a much cleaner match from UWEC as they attacked at a 40% rate. Leeke and Andre combined for five block assists in the second set as the Coe College Kohawks' attack began to fade. With 14 ties scores and 7 lead changes in the second frame, Dorci Walker and Bailey Leeke closed things out with three of the final four points to secure the 25-22 set win.
 
In the final set of the afternoon, Eau Claire once again got out on the right foot, this time with a 6-2 lead. As Nelson and Kiebel kept setting up the Eau Claire offense, the Blugold attackers converted on their chances. Four Blugolds found multiple kills in the third set as UWEC paired back-to-back points throughout the set, giving them a comfortable lead. A service ace by MacKenzie Houser and a kill by Abigail Wherland (So. – Lakeville, Minn./North) completed the 25-15 set victory and 3-0 for Eau Claire over the Kohawks.
 
The Blugolds (8-6, WIAC 1-1) will continue to play against ranked opponents on Tuesday and Friday, October 3^rd and 6^th. UWEC will travel to St. Paul, Minn. on Tuesday to faceoff with #4 ranked Northwestern (Minn.) and will host #8 UW-Whitewater on Friday. Both games are set for 7 p.m. start times.