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UW-Whitewater defeated UW-Platteville 3-1 (30-17, 21-30, 30-14, 30-23) to capture the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament title, and with it the league's automatic berth in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III Championship Tournament.
The Warhawks, who also won the 2007 WIAC championship in regular season play, will be making its sixteenth consecutive appearance in the NCAA III Championship Tournament. UW-W won national titles in 2002 and 2005, finished second in 2000 and 2001, and tied for third place last year.
UW-W, 31-4, was led by Carley Polk (Dousman/Mukwonago)'s (sr, Dousman/Mukwonago) fourteen kills and .440 hitting percentage. Sarah Theis (Lodi/Lodi) (sr, Lodi) added 10 kills and a game high six blocks (2 solo). Kate Lazotte (Stoughton/Stoughton) (sr, Stoughton) had 42 assists.
UW-P, 24-12, was led by Rachel Chapman (jr, Endeavor), who had eleven kills. Chapman and Rochelle Ripp (Lodi/Lodi) (jr, Lodi) both had 17 digs for the Pioneers.
Whitewater hit .264 and Plattevile .020.
UW-La Crosse, 24-9, defeated UW-Eau Claire, 22-10, in the tourney's third place match played prior to the championship match. The match score was 3-2 (30-24, 30-25, 30-32, 24-30, 15-9).
Kaatelyn Carlson (sr, Rochester, MN) led the Eagles' victory, with game highs in both kills (25) and digs (37), while also hitting .306. UW-L had three more players in double figure kills, with Brianne Stankus (so, Burlington) adding 16, Nina Walch (jr, Rollingstone, 12, and Amber Schoonover (jr, Tomah) 10. Samatha Dries (sr, Pine Island, MN) was credited with 53 assists, also adding 22 digs. Walch led both teams with six blocks (three solo).
UW-EC also had four players in double figure kills, closely bunched with Abby Freiborg (jr, Sacred Heart, MN) at 16, Nikki Peterson (sr, North Saint Paul, MN) 15, and Rachel Ver Voort (fr, Madison/Middleton) and Danielle Lucia (fr, Saint Cloud, MN) adding 13 apiece. Emily Haese (jr, Mishicot) had a game best 58 assists, and Heather Harnell (sr, Minnetonka, MN) collected 28 digs.
La Crosse had a .221 hitting percentage, Eau Claire .168. Every other statistical category reinforces how close the match was. Eau Claire had 71 kills, La Crosse 67; Eau Claire 64 assists, La Crosse 62; Eau Claire six service aces, La Crosse four; Eau Claire six service errors, La Crosse three, Eau Claire had four serve reception errors, La Crosse three; and Eau Claire five ball handling errors, La Crosse six.
With UW-Whitewater receiving the league's automatic bid other WIAC teams will wait to see if anyone receives an at-large berth to the NCAA III Championship Tournament. Bids will be announced Monday, November 5.
For additional information
WIAC volleyball tournament site
WIAC volleyball site
NCAA volleyball site
