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The No. 14 ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater volleyball team opened the 2016 season Friday by finishing 1-1 in two matches on the first day at the Elmhurst (Ill.) Invitational.
The Warhawks (1-1 overall) capped the evening with a 24-26, 25-15, 25-21, 25-19 victory over Cornell (Iowa).
After falling in the first set, UW-Whitewater ran away with the second, third and fourth with extended runs midway through each set.
The Rams (0-2) drew to within 19-18 late in the fourth, but the Warhawks finished the match thanks to three straight points.
Senior outside hitter
Lauren Pfeifer (Fort Atkinson, Wis./Fort Atkinson) led the team with 14 kills, 10 digs and three service aces. Junior right side hitter
Sydney Racky (Walworth, Wis./Big Foot) posted 12 kills, while freshman outside hitter
Rachel Butterfield (Milton, Wis./Milton) and junior middle hitter
Courtney Wagner (Dekalb, Ill./Dekalb) and freshman outside hitter
Rachel Butterfield (Milton, Wis./Milton) totaled 11 and 10 kills, respectively.
Senior setter
Staci Hasler (Sheboygan Falls, Wis./Sheboygan Falls) nearly collected a triple-double with nine kills, 46 assists and 10 digs. Freshman libero
Brittany Robinson (Menomonee Falls, Wis./Menomonee Falls) led the defense with 18 digs, and freshman defensive specialist
Elizabeth Tworek (Lake Zurich, Ill./Carmel Catholic) added 12 digs from the back row.
Against Gustavus Adolphus (1-1), UW-Whitewater held a two-sets-to-one advantage, but fell behind early in the fourth and was unable to recover.
In the fifth, the Warhawks took a 3-0 lead, but the Gusties claimed 14 of the next 20 points to force a match point.
UW-Whitewater rallied to score four straight points, but Gustavus closed the match on a kill.
Pfeifer led the Warhawks with team highs of 17 kills and 20 digs to go along with four blocks and two service aces. Racky contributed 11 kills, Hasler registered 41 assists and eight digs and Wagner tallied seven kills and four blocks.
Robinson and senior
Tessa Weber (Pleasant Prairie, Wis./Tremper) helped the defense with 16 and 14 digs, respectively.
UW-Whitewater closes out play at Elmhurst Saturday with matches against Bluffton (Ohio) at 11 a.m. and Augustana (Ill.) at 3 p.m.