NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Wis.-Eau Claire lost to NYU 3-2 on Friday at The Freeman Center, during the Captain's Classic hosted by Christopher Newport University. After dropping the second and third sets, the Blugolds forced a fifth set with a 25-17 fourth before NYU took the final set 16-14. The Blugolds finished with 51 kills and 12 service aces, while NYU had 44 kills, eight aces, and 13 total blocks.
The Blugolds took the opening set 27-25 after NYU led 18-13 and 20-18; UWEC was ahead 23-21 after
Alia Schlimgen's ace and finished the set on consecutive NYU attack errors. The Blugolds held a 16-9 kill advantage, led by six kills from
Norah Erickson, while both teams recorded three service aces.
Both teams finished the second set with 10 kills, but NYU won it 25-20; NYU scored seven points on blocks, while the Blugolds were charged with 12 attack errors.
Rachel Johnson had three of the Blugolds' kills, including one during a stretch that trimmed NYU's 15-9 lead to 16-14.
The Blugolds totaled 10 kills and four team blocks in the third set, with
Mya Cinnamo putting down four kills and
Rachel Johnson adding three. NYU took the set 25-19 with 11 kills and two service aces, using four straight points after a 10-10 tie to move ahead 14-10.
UW-Eau Claire took the fourth set 25-17, recording five service aces to NYU's one and getting five of its seven kills from
Rachel Johnson. NYU had six kills, but committed 10 attack errors, while
Sasha Bovard's consecutive aces pushed the Blugolds to a 24-16 lead.
The Blugolds totaled eight kills in the fifth set, with
Mya Cinnamo putting down four and
Rachel Johnson adding three, while
Alex Kiebel assisted on all eight kills. The Blugolds also served three aces, but NYU erased a 13-10 deficit with four straight points and scored the final two after Cinnamo tied it at 14, taking the set 16-14.
Rachel Johnson finished with 17 kills, 15 digs, four block assists and two service aces for 21 points.
Alex Kiebel recorded 43 assists and added seven digs.
Mya Cinnamo tallied 14 kills on 43 attacks. Schlimgen collected 14 digs, served three aces and converted her only attack.
The Blugolds are 0-1 overall. NYU is 2-1 overall.
Up next, the Blugolds volleyball team will continue play at the Captain's Classic and face the hosts, Christopher Newport University on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. EST and Juniata College at 4:30 p.m. EST at Freeman Center.
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