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The No. 9 ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater volleyball team extended its win streak to 14 matches Friday with a pair of victories on the first day of the Dig Panici Classic at the Williams Center.
 
The Warhawks (24-3 overall) started the day with a 25-15, 25-15, 29-27 triumph over Augustana (Ill.) before posting a 25-12, 25-20, 25-17 win over St. Catherine (Minn.) in front of a boisterous crowd on Dig Panici Night at Russell Arena.
 
Students and fans packed the arena for UW-Whitewater's third annual celebration of the life of Lisa Panici, a former student-athlete who passed away of brain cancer in 2012 after a two-year fight against the disease, for the match against St. Catherine (15-12).
 
After trailing 5-1 in the first set, the Warhawks ripped off nine straight points on the serve of senior defensive specialist Jaclyn Krizka (Roscoe, Ill./Hononegah) to take a 10-5 advantage.
 
In honor of Panici, who wore jersey No. 12, the crowd remained silent for the first two points of the contest and erupted following the third to spur the run for UW-Whitewater, which hit .405 in the period.
 
The Warhawks broke open an 8-8 tie in the second set to take a 15-10 lead. The Wildcats closed their deficit to two points, but UW-Whitewater claimed the last three points in the set to take a 2-0 lead.
 
The Warhawks took control of the third set midway through on the serve of Krizka to claim their fourth straight three-set victory.
 
Junior outside hitter Lauren Pfeifer (Fort Atkinson, Wis./Fort Atkinson) registered a match-high 16 kills to go along with 13 digs and three blocks. Senior right side hitter Brittney Langley (Winnebago, Ill./Winnebago) and sophomore outside hitter Sydney Racky (Walworth, Wis./Big Foot) tallied eight kills apiece, while junior setter Staci Haasler totaled seven kills, eight digs, 36 assists and two service aces.
 
Junior defensive specialist Tessa Weber (Pleasant Prairie, Wis./Tremper) paced the defense with 14 digs. Krizka and freshman defensive specialist Brittany Robinson (Menomonee Falls, Wis./Menomonee Falls) recorded 13 and 12 digs, respectively. Krizka added five service aces.
 
Against Augustana (12-13), UW-Whitewater started slow in both the first and second sets before cruising midway through each.
 
In the third, the Warhawks fought off four set points, claiming the final two points on an ace by Hasler and a kill by Racky.
 
Pfeifer finished with 15 kills and 10 digs, while Racky recorded 12 kills. Sophomore middle hitter Courtney Wagner (Dekalb, Ill./Dekalb) collected nine kills and a team-best four blocks, and Hasler contributed four kills, four digs, two service aces and 39 assists.
 
Robinson led the defense with 22 digs and two aces. Weber added nine digs.
 
All proceeds and donations from Friday night's match benefit a Dig Panici Scholarship. Once sufficient funds are raised, the scholarship will benefit a UW-Whitewater student with mental or physical limitations or disabilities.
 
The Warhawks continue tournament play Saturday against Loras (Iowa) and Wartburg (Iowa) at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., respectively.