The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater volleyball team swept Wheaton College 3-0 (25-18, 25-20, 25-17) Saturday afternoon to improve to 14-5 this season. Outside hitters Jessica Sabey (Merrill/Merrill) and Lauren Pfeifer (Fort Atkinson/Fort Atkinson) combined for 22 kills in the contest to lead the Warhawks offensively. The Thunder fall to 4-11 on the season.

UW-Whitewater was strong at the net with 38 kills and 11.5 blocks. The defense held Wheaton to an attack percentage of just .019 and 26 kills in three sets.

Neither team was efficient in the first set with UW-Whitewater recording nine kills and seven errors for an attack percentage of .054. The Warhawk defense made the difference holding the Thunder to a hitting percentage of -.071 in the first set allowing seven kills and forcing 10 attack errors.

The Warhawk offense got things going in set two pounding down 15 kills in 34 attempts while the defense held Wheaton to fewer than 10 kills in the set.

UW-Whitewater approached the third set with a balanced attack. The offense produced their most efficient numbers of the match pounding down 14 kills in 35 attempts while committing just three errors, an attack percentage of .314. The defense was strong recording five blocks and holding the Thunder to a .026 attack percentage.

Sabey, a junior, and Pfeifer, a sophomore, tied for match high honors recording 11 kills each in the match. Senior setter Kim Frei (West Bend/West Bend West) recorded 31 assists and senior libero Kelsey Nobilio (Johnsburg, IL/Johnsburg) recorded a match high 18 digs. Defensively up front, senior middle blocker Kristen Ruchti (Brodhead/Brodhead) posted a solo and two assist blocks. Senior right side Ariel Feiertag (Brown Deer/Brown Deer) recorded a solo and two assist blocks and junior Sydney Toon (Madison/Middleton) paired with teammates on four blocks in the contest.

UW-Whitewater will return to the court Friday, October 10 with a 7 p.m. match scheduled against UW-Stout in Russell Arena.