The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater volleyball team traveled to Decatur, Ill. Saturday afternoon to play a pair of matches in the Millikin Tournament.
 
The no. 25 Warhawks (13-3, 3-0), fell to No. 3 Wittenberg (Ohio) (12-2)  in the first match 25-16, 23-25, 19-25, 24-26, before coming back to sweep host Millikin (Ill.) (9-11) 25-20, 27-25, 25-21.

Following the conclusion of play, freshman outside hitter Erin McNeil (Crystal Lake, Ill./Prairie Ridge) was named to the All-Tournament Team.

The victory against Millikin was head coach Stacy Boudreau's 400th at UW-Whitewater. The 14th-year coach entered the season ranked among the top 10 Division III coaches in winning percentage.
 
The Warhawks started out of the gates strong, starting the first set with an 8-0 run and finishing the set with a 6-0 run to claim a dominant set.  Wittenberg battled back hard, leading the second set 12-5.  The Warhawks clawed within two but were unable to get any closer.  
 
The teams battled back and forth heading into the third set, but Wittenberg took a late 17-12 lead and the Warhawks found themselves unable to regain the advantage.  The teams continued to struggle with each other in the fourth set, with the Warhawks going on a late 6-2 run to claim a 24-22 advantage, but it wasn't enough to hold off the No. 3 team in the nation.
 
McNeil tied with junior outside hitter Rachel Butterfield (Milton, Wis./Milton) to lead Warhawks with 13 kills.  McNeil added in a .306 hitting percentage.  Freshman outside hitter Emma Aske (Aurora, Ill./Metea Valley) contributed 10 kills of her own. 
 
Freshman setter KellyAnn Sotiros (New Berlin, Wis./West Allis Hale) had 3 aces for the match, a team-leading 23 assists and 15 digs for her sixth double-double of the year.  Freshman setter Paige Manssen (Bull Valley, Ill./McHenry West) added in 18 assists. 
 
Senior libero Brittany Robinson (Menomonee Falls, Wis./Menomonee Falls) posted 31 digs for the match.  Senior middle hitter Kelley Berk (Cedarburg, Wis./Divine Savior Holy Angels) led the squad with 4 blocks.
 
In the afternoon match against Millikin, the two teams traded early 4-0 runs and exchanged points until the Warhawks went on a 6-0 run in the middle of the set on their way to a victory. 
 
The Warhawks went on a 5-1 run to close within two of Millikin at 17-15, then went on to finish the set with a pair of 5-1 runs of their own to claim a tense 27-25 period.  The Warhawk offense replied again in the third set, going on a 6-1 run shortly followed by an 8-2 run to put Millikin at a disadvantage they couldn't recover from.

McNeil and Butterfield led the offense with eight kills apiece. Junior middle hitter Samantha Kavajecz (Roscoe, Ill./Rockton Hononegah) contributed six kills.
 
Berk and junior middle hitter Ashton Doll (Lancaster, Wis./Lancaster) each posted 3 blocks for the afternoon match.  Teammates Sotiros and Manssen contributed 15 and 10 assists, respectively.  Robinson added in 21 digs, and Aske and Sotiros collected seven apiece.
 
The Warhawks return home Friday afternoon to host the UW-Whitewater Dig Panci Classic at the Williams Center.  They play St. Thomas (Minn.) at 1 p.m, followed by Luther (Iowa) at 7 p.m. for the night game. UW-Whitewater fans are invited to celebrate Dig Panici Night Friday as the team honors former Warhawk Lisa Panici, who passed away in 2012 after a two-year battle against brain cancer. All proceeds from the match benefit the Dig Panici Scholarship.