The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, ranked twenty-first in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Division III poll, fell to UW-Stevens Point 3-0 (25-22, 25-23, 25-16) Wednesday at Berg Gymnasium in Stevens Point, Wisconsin.  It is Whitewater's first loss to the Pointers in Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play since 1985, a string of twenty-five years.

box score

In game one UW-SP led early, 8-3, but UW-W pulled within one, 10-9, then inched ahead 13-12 on a Kelli Trautman (Seymour/Little Chute) service ace.  UW-SP went back in front 15-14, then scored four straight with the help of two Warhawk attack errors, to lead 19-14.  Whitewater used a 7-2 run to knot the game at 21-21, and again at 22-22.  Two kills and a service ace closed out the game for UW-SP.

The climb back in game two may have been too much.  UW-SP bolted in front 9-0, but UW-W reversed the momentum, scrambling back to 15-13, 21-21 and finally 22-22 on a block by Alivia Holman (South Beloit, IL/Rockton Hononegah) and Heidi Buss (Cedarburg/Cedarburg).  Then it was Point, followed by Whitewater.  Tied again 23-23.  A Pointer kill and Warhawk attack error put game two in the UW-SP column.

In a first for UW-W volleyball, Whitewater began the second game with a three point penalty for "team delay".  UW-SP upped the score to 6-1, and Whitewater seemed to come together to stay within five, 14-9, and then four, 17-13.  That four point margin was as close as it got the rest of the way.

Holman led UW-W with eight kills and two service aces.  Trautman had 13 digs and two aces, and Buss contributed 15 digs and 21 assists.  Sofia Sanchez (Janesville/Craig) also recorded double figure digs with 10, and Lauren Grant (Antioch, IL/Antioch) and Ariel Johnston (Rockford, IL/Guilford) had two blocks each.  Sarah Wildish and Christina Brinkman led the Pointers with 10 kills each, with Wildish adding 16 digs and three aces.

UW-W is 8-4 overall and 0-1 in the WIAC and Stevens Point is 8-5, 1-0.

UW-W will continue WIAC play this weekend, hosting UW-Superior at 7:00 Friday and UW-Eau Claire at noon Saturday.  Both matches will be played in the Kris Russell Volleyball Arena in the Williams Center on the UW-W campus. 

For additional information:  Stacy Boudreau, UW-W coach