EAU CLAIRE, Wis. — The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire had a successful day at the Sandy Schumacher Memorial Tournament, sweeping both Lakeland and Carleton in straight sets. The Blugolds defeated Lakeland 25-23, 25-21, 25-18 before following up with a commanding 25-20, 25-16, 25-18 victory against Carleton at the Sonnentag Event Center.
In the match against Lakeland, the Blugolds recorded nine service aces, overpowering the Muskies' defense despite their 50 digs. UWEC edged out a tense first set, clinching it 25-23 after a series of late exchanges.
Abby Stanwood led the charge with four kills, while
Bailey Leeke added three, including a pivotal strike to bring the score to 24-23.
Norah Erickson and
Darienne Andre combined for a crucial block at 21-20, and
Mary Zettle contributed two key service aces that helped the Blugolds build momentum in the middle of the set. UW-Eau Claire capitalized on Lakeland's eight attack errors.
The Blugolds continued their strong performance in the second set, winning 25-21. They capitalized on Lakeland's service errors, gaining crucial points. Leeke was instrumental with multiple kills, and Erickson also contributed significantly as the Blugolds rallied from an early deficit.
Alex Kiebel's assists were pivotal in setting up successful attacks, helping the home team finish strong. In the third set, the Blugolds secured a commanding 25-18 victory, driven by a strong performance from
Katie Mercure with multiple assists and effective setting. UW-Eau Claire capitalized on Lakeland's errors, including four service errors and several attack errors. Zettle contributed significantly with two service aces, while Leeke added three kills, helping UWEC extend their lead and maintain control throughout the set.
Leeke led the Blugolds with 13 kills on 24 attempts, achieving a .542 hitting percentage and contributing two service aces. Zettle added a strong defensive performance with 16 digs and four service aces. Stanwood recorded 11 kills and eight digs over three sets, while Andre posted five kills on 10 swings without an error, finishing with a .500 hitting percentage.
Against Carleton, the Blugolds maintained their momentum, sweeping the Knights with an efficient attack marked by a .279 hitting percentage and six service aces. Wis.-Eau Claire secured the first set 25-20, thanks to a strong finish. Stanwood contributed multiple key kills, including the set-winning point, while
Hannah Thole's serving run was pivotal, notching three service aces and assisting on several kills. In the second set, UW-Eau Claire capitalized on strong offensive contributions to take the set 25-16.
Mya Cinnamo led the charge with multiple kills, while Stanwood and Leeke each added pivotal points. Despite service errors interrupting UWEC's momentum, they managed to maintain control with consistent assists from Thole, as Carleton struggled with errors, allowing the Blugolds to extend their lead.
The Blugolds claimed the third set 25-18, leveraging a strong performance from Thole, who facilitated multiple key plays. Thole contributed a series of assists leading to kills from
Lili Hagg,
Norah Erickson, and Leeke, helping secure the victory. The set featured Carleton's fightback, narrowing the gap to 23-18, but the Blugolds closed it out with decisive kills from Cinnamo, who secured two of the final three points.
Leeke again led UW-Eau Claire's offense with 12 kills on 18 attempts, achieving a hitting percentage of .556. Thole contributed significantly with 23 assists and added four service aces to the team's effort. Cinnamo recorded eight kills on 19 attempts while also securing one service ace.
Mary Zettle was pivotal defensively, collecting 16 digs over the three sets played.
UW-Eau Claire now holds a 10-1 overall record in non-conference play, while Lakeland stands at 4-7 and Carleton at 2-8 for the season.
Looking ahead, the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire volleyball team travels to face the College of Saint Benedict on Wednesday, Sept. 17. The match will take place at Claire Lynch Hall in St. Joseph, Minn., with action beginning at 7 p.m.
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