EAU CLAIRE, Wis. — The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire swept past Wis.-La Crosse 3-1 on Wednesday at the Sonnentag Event Center. The Blugolds claimed the sets 25-16, 25-20, 25-27, 25-16, with a strong offensive performance, amassing 66 kills to the Eagles' 40. UW-Eau Claire also dominated at the net with nine total blocks, compared to La Crosse's six, and added seven service aces to secure the victory.
The Blugolds secured the opening set 25-16 against UW-La Crosse, driven by a strong offensive performance highlighted by
Alex Kiebel's consistent setting, which resulted in multiple kills from
Lili Hagg and
Bailey Leeke. The home team capitalized on an early 10-5 run to maintain a steady lead throughout the set. UWEC's defense also contributed with a key block from Leeke and Hagg, while
Mya Cinnamo closed the set with a decisive kill.
UWEC took control of the second set against the Eagles with a strong service game and effective blocking. UW-Eau Claire capitalized on four service aces and forced multiple attack errors from the Eagles, highlighted by
Lili Hagg's block at 10-8 and consecutive blocks by
Bailey Leeke to extend the lead to 15-8. Despite a late push from UWL, UW-Eau Claire maintained their lead, sealing the set 25-20.
The Blugolds and Eagles battled in the third set, with the visitors narrowly edging out a 27-25 victory. UW-Eau Claire's defensive efforts were highlighted by multiple blocks from
Lili Hagg and
Mya Cinnamo, which contributed to early momentum. However, an 8- 2 run by the Eagles closed the set. Despite strong offensive contributions, including
Norah Erickson's key kills, UW-Eau Claire was unable to maintain their lead, ultimately conceding the set in a tight finish.
UWEC dominated the fourth set against the Eagles, capitalizing on a series of service aces and a 6-0 run to secure a 25-16 victory. Cinnamo and
Abby Stanwood each delivered two service aces, with Stanwood also contributing four late kills. The Blugolds built a decisive lead behind Cinnamo's consecutive kills at 15-5, while the Eagles struggled with attack errors, committing several that widened the gap in the set. Stanwood's finishing run of three consecutive kills sealed the win.
Stanwood recorded her third consecutive double-double with 17 digs and 14 digs in the match. N. Erickson tallied 14 kills with a hitting percentage of .324, adding 15.0 points to the team's total. Hagg excelled defensively with five total blocks, while
Hannah Thole and Kiebel facilitated the offense with 58 combined assists on the night.
UW-Eau Claire holds a 13-1 overall record and is 2-0 in WIAC play. The Eagles are 10-6 overall and 0-2 in the WIAC.
Looking ahead, the UW-Eau Claire volleyball team will travel to Menomonie, Wis., to face UW-Stout on Wednesday, Oct. 1. The match will take place at 7 p.m. at Johnson Fieldhouse.
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