BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire volleyball team defeated UC Santa Cruz 3-0 before falling to Illinois Wesleyan 3-0 on Friday at Shirk Center to begin play in the Illinois Wesleyan Classic.
The Blugolds opened with a 25-18, 25-19, 25-14 victory over UC Santa Cruz. The Blugolds hit a season-high .381 with 39 kills and seven attack errors while holding a 9-3 advantage in total blocks and serving seven aces.
UW-Eau Claire used a 7-of-8 stretch to turn a 14-13 deficit into a 20-15 lead in the opening set. In the second,
Rachel Johnson served back-to-back aces during a five-point finish before
Brynlee Major closed the 25-19 win with a kill. Johnson's serve produced four straight points in the third set, including three
Mya Cinnamo kills, as the Blugolds completed the sweep.
Johnson finished with 11 kills, a .455 hitting percentage, 15 points and four blocks against UC Santa Cruz.
Kaitlyn Erickson recorded 13 digs and three aces,
Lili Hagg had six kills and five total blocks, and
Alex Kiebel added 17 assists and seven digs.
Illinois Wesleyan won the second match 25-14, 25-22, 25-23. UW-Eau Claire totaled 39 kills and 70 digs, while Ill. Wesleyan had 47 kills and hit .196 compared with the Blugolds' .134. Both teams recorded seven blocks.
Cinnamo had seven kills in the opening set and finished the match with 15 kills and 15.5 points. The Blugolds pulled within 17-16 during a four-point stretch on Erickson's serve in the second set. In the third,
Zoe Dragas tied the score at 23 with a kill before Alex Bardouniotis recorded the final two points for Ill. Wesleyan.
Erickson led UW-Eau Claire with 16 digs and added five assists. Kiebel finished with 18 assists and eight digs, while Johnson recorded six kills, 12 digs and two block assists.
The Blugolds now hold a record of 15-8 overall and 3-3 in conference play.
Up next, the Blugolds will face Washington University in St. Louis as part of the Illinois Wesleyan on Saturday, Oct. 31, at 12:30 p.m. at the Shirk Center in Bloomington, Illinois.
