UW-Whitewater edged the University of Saint Thomas 3-2 (30-32, 30-21, 30-28, 24-30, 15-13) in a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III Championship Tournament regional final Saturday night at the University of Saint Thomas in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Whitewater advances to the NCAA III final eight , where the Warhawks will face the University of Puget Sound (WA), 20-8, in the opening game at 1:00 Thursday. Illinois Wesleyan University is hosting the final eight at the Shirk Center on campus in Bloomington, Illinois November 15-17.
box score
photo courtesy of Greg Smith
It was apparent from the first game of the match, a 32-30 win for Saint Thomas, that this was going five games. Whitewater won game two, an aberration in this match, 30-21.
Saint Thomas jumped out to a 9-0 lead in game three, but that kind of lead wasn't safe on this night. UW-W clawed back, taking their first lead at 29-28, when Kate Lazotte (Stoughton/Stoughton) scored the game winner to put Whitewater up 2-1 in games.
The Tommies again jumped out to a huge lead in game four, exactly 9-0 again, but again Whitewater came back to cut the margin to 26-24. This time UST closed out the match with the last four points, making it 2-2 in games.
As they did all night, Saint Thomas started fast in the decisive fifth game, going up 4-1. But, as with the script for the rest of the night, UW-W came back to tie the game at 6-6. The game was tied again at 7-7, 9-9, 10-10, 11-11, and 13-13 before the Warhawks were finally able to eke out the final two points to win the match.
UW-W's Abby Schultz (Appleton/Kimberly) led both teams with 23 kills, second highest match total by a Warhawk this season. Schultz also hit .291. Kate Lazotte (Stoughton/Stoughton) passed for 61 assists, and Kristina Conlin (Williams Bay/Williams Bay) recorded 22 digs. Carley Polk (Dousman/Mukwonago) contributed eight blocks (two solo) and 15 kills. Saint Thomas was led by Katie McCaffrey's 19 kills and .309 hitting percentage. Katie Azaverskey added 16 kills and 20 digs, Emily Foster 61 assists, and Aly McConnell a match best 33 digs.
Whitewater hit .184, Saint Thomas .156. Whitewater had seven service errors, UST eight; and the Warhawks had two ball handling errors to five for the Tommies.
The Warhawks defeated Concordia-Moorhead (MN) 3-0 and Bethel University (MN) 3-0 to advance to the regional final against Saint Thomas. Saint Thomas beat UW-Eau Claire 3-1 and Central College (IA) 3-2 to advance to Saturday's match with Whitewater.
UW-W, 34-4, will join seven other regional winners at the final eight. Saint Thomas ends its season with a 28-5 record. The Warhawks were ranked eighth in the final regular season American Volleyball Coaches Associaton poll, Saint Thomas was twelfth.
The Warhawks won the 2002 and 2005 NCAA III championships, and tied for third in last year's tournament.
Illinois Wesleyan final eight site
Saint Thomas regional site
NCAA volleyball site
