Box Score PLATTEVILLE, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater volleyball team opened Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play with a 3-1 (25-18, 25-19, 22-25, 25-19) win over UW-Platteville at Bo Ryan Court Wednesday evening. The Warhawk improve to 12-5 this season and 1-0 in the league. The Pioneers fall to 5-10 and 0-1 in the WIAC.

The Warhawks pounded down 11 kills in the first set led by junior outside hitter Jessica Sabey (Merrill/Merrill) with four in six attempts. UW-Whitewater jumped out to a 5-1 lead and extended the gap to 13-5 with a 6-0 mid-set run. The Warhawks held at least a five point lead the rest of the way en route to a 25-18 first set win.

UW-Whitewater jumped out to a 6-2 lead in set two forcing UW-Platteville to take an early timeout. The Pioneers battled back to within three multiple times but the Warhawks extended the advantage to 15-9 when Platteville called their second timeout of the set.

Three straight kills, two from Sabey and another from senior right side Ariel Feiertag (Brown Deer/Brown Deer) push the Warhawk lead to 22-13 but the Pioneers scored the next three to force head coach Stacy Boudreau to call a timeout and break Platteville's building momentum. 

UW-P scored out of the timeout but Sabey gave the Warhawks the serve with a kill to make it 23-17. After another Platteville point, Feiertag hammered one down to force set point. The Pioneers were called out of rotation to give the Warhawks a 2-0 match lead with a 25-19 set two win. 

A teeter-totter battle ensued in set three with the Pioneers grabbing their first lead of the match, 8-7. The Pioneers led by as much as five, twice, in the set with the last time a 21-16 UW-Platteville lead. Senior middle blocker Alivia Holman (South Beloit, IL/Rockton Hononegah) tipped a ball over the blockers for a kill followed. Senior middle blocker Kristen Ruchti (Brodhead/Brodhead) and Feiertag made it back-to-back-to-back kills for the Warhawks to bring UW-Whitewater to within two, 21-19, when Platteville called a timeout. 

The Pioneers scored out of the timeout but sophomore outside hitter Lauren Pfeifer (Fort Atkinson/Fort Atkinson) pounded down a kill followed by a solo block from Ruchti in the middle and the Warhawks trailed by just one, 22-21, but the Pioneers held on for a 25-22 win to force a fourth set.

The Warhawks trailed 6-3 to open set four but battled back to take a 13-10 lead. UW-Platteville went on a 4-1 run to knot the score 14-14. Pfeifer's big kill to make it 16-14 in favor of the Warhawks gave UW-Whitewater a lead they would not relinquish and some momentum to finish the set and match. The Warhawks rolled with four straight kills, two from Feiertag and two off the hand of Holman for the final four points to win set four 25-19 and take the match 3-1.

Sabey led the Warhawks at the net with 16 kills in 33 attempts while committing just one error. Feiertag added 12 kills and two blocks in the contest. Senior setter Kim Frei (West Bend/West Bend West) dished out 37 assists and Pfeifer posted a double-double with 10 kills and 15 digs.

UW-Whitewater will host UW-Oshkosh Friday night at 7 pm in Kris Russell Volleyball Arena.