The No. 12 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater volleyball team used a surge of momentum in the third set Wednesday night to key a 25-23, 23-25, 25-11, 25-14 victory over 19th-ranked Carthage in a non-conference match-up featuring two of the region's top teams at Russell Arena.
After dropping the second set, the Warhawks (4-0 overall) started the third on a 10-2 run and didn't look back, winning the final five points of the frame and the first six of the fourth on their way to the win.
Senior outside hitter
Rachel Butterfield (Milton, Wis./Milton) collected 17 kills on a .410 hitting percentage and added four blocks and four digs. Senior middle hitter
Ashton Doll (Lancaster, Wis./Lancaster) recorded 10 kills on a .400 hitting percentage and added eight blocks, and sophomore outside hitter
Emma Aske (Aurora, Ill./Metea Valley) tallied 11 kills and 10 digs.
Freshman middle hitter
Mandi Boehm (Richfield, Wis./Slinger) contributed five kills, and sophomore setter
Paige Manssen (Bull Valley, Ill./McHenry West) totaled 10 assists and three digs.
Sophomore setter
KellyAnn Sotiros (New Berlin, Wis./West Allis Hale) posted 29 assists, 15 digs and two service aces, and freshman libero
Morgan Jensen (Sun Prairie, Wis./Sun Prairie) paced the defense with 20 digs to go along with six assists and two service aces.
In a back-and-forth first set, the Lady Reds (4-1) jumped out to a 3-0 advantage, but neither team led by more than that margin at any point during the frame. UW-Whitewater prompted a Carthage timeout after taking a 19-16 lead, but the Lady Reds scored the next four points for a 20-19 advantage.
The Warhawks fought back by claiming four of the next five points for a 23-21 lead, but Carthage took the next two points to square the set at 23-23. UW-W quickly claimed the final two points to take a 1-0 match lead.
UW-Whitewater took a 13-9 advantage just under the midway point of the second, but the Lady Reds forced a Warhawk timeout by taking eight of the next 11 points for a 17-16 lead.
The two teams traded points and ended up tied at 23-23 again, but Carthage posted kills on the final two points of the set to level the match at 1-1.
From there, UW-Whitewater maintained control, forcing the Lady Reds into a negative hitting percentage over the final two sets while hitting .300 offensively over the same course of action.
The Warhawks return to action this weekend at the Augsburg Invitational in Minneapolis. The team faces George Fox (Ore.) at 12 p.m. and host Augsburg at 2:30 p.m. to begin the tournament on Friday.
