PITTSBURGH — The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire swept St. Mary's College of Maryland 25-13, 25-23, 25-13 on Thursday at the Highmark Center for Health, Wellness and Athletics in the First Round of the 2025 NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Tournament. The Blugolds recorded a .297 hitting percentage, with 42 kills and 15 errors on 91 total attacks. They also tallied 40 assists and 43 digs. UWEC's serving contributed five aces, while defensively, they achieved six total blocks.
Eau Claire opened the match with a commanding 25-13 first set win, driven by
Bailey Leeke's six kills and an early 11-4 lead. The Blugolds complemented their offense with their defense as Leeke and
Lili Hagg both recorded two block assists.
Alex Kiebel facilitated the offense with nine assists, leading to successful attacks from
Mya Cinnamo and
Lili Hagg, which helped secure the set.
The Blugolds claimed the second set 25-23 against St. Mary's (MD) with a decisive late rally. The set featured pivotal contributions from
Bailey Leeke, who recorded eight key kills, and
Abby Stanwood, who added four kills, including the set-clincher. They overcame a mid-set deficit with a crucial block by Kiebel, tying the score at 23-23, before closing the set with consecutive kills.
UW-Eau Claire seized control of the third set with a commanding performance, outscoring the Seahawks 25-13. It was
Alex Kiebel, who distributed multiple assists, and consistency from
Bailey Leeke, who hit .429, that gained UWEC an early 11-6 lead.
Mya Cinnamo and
Lili Hagg contributed with five combined kills, while
Hannah Thole's serving and setting added pressure with two aces and four assists. The lone block of the set came from
Lili Hagg and
Abigail Wherland to seal the 3-0 victory for the Blugolds in the first round.
Bailey Leeke led the offensive effort with 19 kills on 29 attempts, posting a .517 hitting percentage and contributing 21 points.
Alex Kiebel facilitated the attack by recording 29 assists and added nine digs to her performance.
Abby Stanwood contributed with seven kills and 10 digs, while also serving up one ace.
Mya Cinnamo added 10 kills on 19 swings, maintaining a .316 hitting percentage for the match.
Kaitlyn Erickson commanded the defense with 11 digs, zero reception errors, and offensively added six assists.
The Blugolds hold a 28-4 overall record and the Seahawks end their season at 17-15 overall.
Looking ahead, UW-Eau Claire will face Wittenberg University in the second round of the NCAA tournament on Friday, Nov. 21 at 4:30 p.m. ET at the Highmark Center for Health, Wellness and Athletics in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
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