The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater volleyball team hosted a pair of games at Russell Arena Saturday, playing a conference tilt versus UW-Stout and a night game against Bethel (Minn.) to finish their week.
 
The 22nd-ranked Warhawks (19-4, 5-0 WIAC) swept both matches, defeating UW-Stout 25-22, 25-17, 25-16 before downing Bethel 25-21, 25-16, 29-27 in the nightcap.
 
In the afternoon game against UW-Stout (11-10, 3-2), the Warhawks found themselves in a tight match all the way through the first set, trailing 18-17 late.  A late 4-1 run pushed the Warhawks over the top for a 25-22 win.  The two teams continued to battle back and forth heading into the second set.  A 4-0 Warhawk run gave them some distance at 9-5.  The Warhawks slowly built on their advantage en route to claiming a 25-17 win.
 
The Warhawks carried their momentum into the third set, jumping out to an early 7-1 lead.  They never looked back, finishing the sweep with a 25-16 set.
 
Junior middle hitter Ashton Doll (Lancaster, Wis./Lancaster) and junior outside hitter Rachel Butterfield (Milton, Wis./Milton) tied for the team lead in blocks at five apiece, while senior middle hitter Kelley Berk (Cedarburg, Wis./Divine Savior Holy Angels) recorded three.  Doll also posted a .400 hitting percentage for the game for six kills, while senior outside hitter Amanda Spera (Antioch, Ill./Antioch) hit .350 for her team-best nine kills. 
 
Freshman setter KellyAnn Sotiros (New Berlin, Wis./West Allis Hale) recorded 19 assists and three aces, while freshman setter Paige Manssen (Bull Valley, Ill./McHenry West) contributed nine assists and five digs.  Senior libero Brittany Robinson (Menomonee Falls, Wis./Menomonee Falls) collected 22 digs, and freshman outside hitter Emma Aske (Aurora, Ill./Metea Valley) registered 10 digs.

As a team, the Warhawks held UW-Stout to a -.018 hitting percentage
 
In the nightcap, the Warhawks started out with a 7-3 advantage and carried their early momentum through the end of the 25-21 set.   The Warhawks found themselves down 13-9 midway through the second, before going on a 16-3 tear to put the set entirely in their control.  
 
In the third set, the Warhawks trailed 8-4 early, but refused to give up and slowly chipped away at the Bethel advantage. UW-Whitewater put the Royals (21-5) away with back-to-back kills from Berk and Spera after Bethel fought off four other match points.
 
Spera led the Warhawks with 16 kills and had a .429 hitting percentage, while Butterfield added in 14 of her own alongside a .500 hitting percentage.  Sotiros and Manssen contributed 28 and 23 assists, respectively.  Robinson led the squad once again with 27 digs.
 
Berk and freshman outside hitter Emily Gillen (Richfield, Wis./Slinger) both posted a team-leading three blocks, while Berk also had a .471 hitting percentage on the evening for nine kills.
 
The Warhawks take most of next week off before traveling to Elmhurst, Ill., next Friday for the Elmhurst Invitational.  They take on host Elmhurst at 5 p.m. before facing No. 1 ranked Calvin (Mich). at 7 p.m.