UW-W volleyball, ranked fourteenth in the American Volleyball Coaches Association top 25 poll, recorded its first loss of  the 2010 season 3-0 (20-25, 19-25, 26-28), to eleventh ranked Wittenberg University  in the Wittenberg National Invitational.

Box Score

Both teams posted long runs and long rallies in all three sets. Whitewater took the lead in the first set but Wittenberg came back late to take set one 25-20.

In the second set, the Tigers surged off of the momentum from the first set win to take a quick 6-1 lead but the Warhawks fought back to within two. The Tigers were not phased and extended their lead to as much as eight 11-19. The deficit was too much for UW-W as Wittenberg took the second set 25-19.

Trailing by five points 12-7 in set three, the Warhawks steadily inched closer and closer. At 23-24, an attack attempt by the Tigers was ruled in by the line judge but overruled by the head judge giving the Warhawks the set tying point. A yellow card issued to the Wittenberg bench swayed the momentum in favor of UW-W. Whitewater would force four match points in the third set but Wittenberg prevailed taking set three 28-26 and the match 3-0.

Sofia Sanchez (Janesville/Craig) led the Warhawks at the net pounding down 13 kills in 26 attempts recording just two errors. Defensively, three Whitewater players posted double figure digs including Alyssa Bauer (Naperville, IL/Central) with 16 and Christina DeGroot (Kewaskum/Kewaskum) and Tricia Foldy (Muskego/) each had 13.

The Warhawks fall to 3-1 on the season. Wittenberg wins their second straight match of the season against ranked teams to move to 2-0 in 2010.

The Warhawks will face eighth ranked St. Thomas at 2:00 pm Central time Saturday in their last match of the Wittenberg National Invitational.

For additional information: Stacy Boudreau