The No. 11 ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater volleyball team won the first two sets Wednesday night before dropping the last three in a 20-25, 19-25, 25-22, 25-19, 15-11 setback at UW-Platteville in a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference contest.
 
After claiming the first two sets, the Warhawks (19-6 overall, 3-2 WIAC) led 11-8 in the third before the Pioneers tallied six of the next seven points to alter the course of the match.
 
UW-Platteville (10-18, 1-4) got hot over the final two sets, committing only two errors and converting 21 kills in 49 attempts to close out UW-Whitewater.
 
With the fourth set tied at 15-15, the Pioneers took control with a 7-1 run. They jumped out to a 6-2 advantage in the fifth set. The Warhawks got as close as two points in the frame.
 
Senior outside hitter Lauren Pfeifer (Fort Atkinson, Wis./Fort Atkinson) and junior middle hitter Courtney Wagner (Dekalb, Ill./Dekalb) tied for the team lead with 15 kills apiece. Pfeifer added nine digs.
 
Freshman outside hitter Alexandra Bialo (Greendale, Wis./Greendale) tallied 12 kills. Junior right side hitter Sydney Racky (Walworth, Wis./Big Foot) and freshman middle hitter Ashton Doll (Lancaster, Wis./Lancaster) each registered nine kills.
 
Senior setter Staci Hasler (Sheboygan Falls, Wis./Sheboygan Falls) recorded a career-high 56 assists to go along with four kills and six digs.
 
Sophomore libero Brittany Robinson (Menomonee Falls, Wis./Menomonee Falls) collected 18 digs and four assists to lead the defense. Senior defensive specialist Tessa Weber (Pleasant Prairie, Wis./Tremper) and freshman defensive specialist Elizabeth Tworek (Lake Zurich, Ill./Carmel Catholic) contributed 12 digs apiece.
 
UW-Whitewater hosts the Dig Panici Classic this Friday and Saturday at the Williams Center. The team hosts Loras (Iowa) Friday at 7 p.m. on Dig Panici Night in Kris Russell Volleyball Arena.
 
For more information on this weekend's tournament, click here.