WHITEWATER, Wis. — The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire volleyball team defeated the University of Northwestern (Minn.) 3-0 in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Championship on Thursday at Russell Volleyball Arena. The win sent the Blugolds to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and gave head coach
Kim Wudi the 400th victory of her career.
Wudi became the second volleyball coach in UW-Eau Claire history to hit the 400-win milestone. She is the sixth coach in WIAC history to reach the mark.
Wudi is one of only 52 active coaches in all of NCAA Division III to record 400 career wins.
The win was the Blugolds' first NCAA Tournament victory since 2021, when they won the Division III national championship. In their first-ever meeting with Northwestern in the NCAA Tournament, the 24th-ranked Blugolds hit .333 in a prolific showing on Thursday to sweep their way into the second round.
"I thought that we executed the game plan exactly how we wanted to," Wudi said. "We wanted to come out and win the serve and pass game…I was really excited about the way that we passed the ball. I thought we were in-system most of the night, and that was just really something that we emphasized a lot in terms of our first contact and then being relentless on defense. Really, really proud of our team, and excited to be playing again tomorrow."
UW-Eau Claire (21-8) defeated the 23rd-ranked Eagles (24-9) 25-16, 25-16, 25-18.
Mya Cinnamo (So. – Rosemount, Minn.) hit a match-high 13 kills to pace the attack, and
Kaitlyn Erickson (Fr. – Champlin, Minn./Champlin Park) marshaled the back line with a match-best 14 digs.
Ella Kiebel (Jr. – Maple Lake, Minn.) passed 36 assists.
"I think how we went into this was just talking about how Northwestern is a great opponent, and it was going to take all we've got," Erickson said. "Just kind of rallying our whole team together. We're very team-based. Everything we've done up to this point in the season, just putting that all into this game. I think we did that really well today."
The Blugolds were lethal when they were on serve, tallying 13 aces.
Elli Amjadi (So. – Vernon Hills, Ill.) served five to lead the way.
"I think the game plan was for all of us to go after it," Amjadi said. "Going after those deep angles on our serves, from corner to corner."
UW-Eau Claire stated its intent right out of the gates, scoring 11 of the match's first 15 points. They grew their lead to 10 later in the first set, and the Eagles couldn't recover.
The Blugolds continued to impress in the second set, riding four kills from
Bailey Leeke (Jr. – Lakeville, Minn./North) and three from Cinnamo to get ahead 15-8. The Eagles later pulled within four of the lead, but Amjadi served three aces to help put the set away.
The final set saw UW-Eau Claire get ahead 7-3 before Northwestern started to rally. The Eagles cut the lead to 13-11 before the Blugolds took their decisive swing, using four kills as part of a 4-1 run to pull away for good.
"I just think we went out there to play not to (not) lose, but to win," Cinnamo said. "We just went out there and gave it all we had."
UW-Eau Claire will face either UW-Whitewater or Ohio Wesleyan in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday night. The regional semifinal is set to begin at 7 p.m. at Kris Russell Volleyball Arena.
Follow the Blugolds all season long at
Blugolds.com or on our app,
Blugold Sports, and on social media on
Twitter,
Instagram, and
Facebook.
