NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire volleyball team had a successful day at the Captain's Classic, winning both of their matches on Saturday at The Freeman Center. The Blugolds first defeated Christopher Newport 3-0 (25-23, 25-22, 25-20) before overcoming Juniata 3-1 (25-19, 21-25, 25-18, 25-16).
In their opening match against Christopher Newport, the Blugolds finished with 45 kills and a .266 hitting percentage, while Christopher Newport recorded 37 kills and hit .189. UW-Eau Claire also showcased a strong defensive effort with six total blocks and five service aces.
The Blugolds won the first set 25-23, highlighted by 15 kills, including five apiece from
Rachel Johnson and
Mya Cinnamo. After falling behind 17-15, UW-Eau Claire rallied to take a 20-18 lead, with key contributions from Johnson and Cinnamo. Cinnamo capped off the set with a kill from
Hannah Thole.
In the second set, UWEC took control early, winning 25-22 after a strong service stretch from Thole, moving from 17-16 to 21-16.
Rachel Johnson once again shined with five kills, two service aces, and a block, while Christopher Newport's Jasmine Williams contributed six kills.
The Blugolds dominated the third set with a 17-11 edge in kills and finished the match strong, closing out the set 25-20 with a final push led by Johnson's serving.
Rachel Johnson ended the match with 14 kills, three service aces, eight digs, and 18.0 points.
Mya Cinnamo added 10 kills, while
Alex Kiebel provided 19 assists and eight digs.
In their second match against Juniata, UW-Eau Claire achieved 52 kills, nine service aces, and nine total blocks, limiting Juniata to a .153 hitting percentage. The Blugolds captured the first set 25-19, despite Juniata having a 10-9 edge in kills, thanks to a strong service performance led by
Alia Schlimgen, who recorded three aces.
The second set saw a setback for the Blugolds as Juniata edged them 25-21, despite
Rachel Johnson's five kills. However, UW-Eau Claire rebounded in the third set, winning 25-18 with a total of 16 kills.
Norah Erickson contributed five kills during a pivotal moment that shifted the momentum back to the Blugolds.
The fourth set showcased UW-Eau Claire's dominance as they took it 25-16, fueled by a seven-point run on
Hannah Thole's serve.
Rachel Johnson and
Norah Erickson both had three kills in the set, and
Lili Hagg was instrumental on defense with three block points.
Rachel Johnson finished the match against Juniata with 11 kills, 11 digs, and two service aces, while
Norah Erickson also had 11 kills.
Kaitlyn Erickson led the defense with 17 digs and added six assists. Schlimgen tallied a team-high four service aces.
Rachel Johnson,
Mya Cinnamo and
Lili Hagg all were named to the Captain's Classic All-Tournament Team.
Following these matches, the Blugolds are now 2-1 overall, while Christopher Newport and Juniata both sit at 2-1. Up next, the Blugolds will host Edgewood College during their annual Sandy Schumacher Memorial Tournament on Friday, Sept. 11, at 7 p.m. at The Sonnentag in Eau Claire, Wis.
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